I looked up the derivation of this day and found the following:
The idea for creating a day for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington. A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909.
Having been raised by her father, William Jackson Smart, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her. It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Sonora's father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910.
In 1926, a National Father's Day Committee was formed in New York City. Father's Day was recognized by a Joint Resolution of Congress in 1956. In 1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday of June. So Father's Day was born in memory and gratitude by a daughter who thought that her father and all good fathers should be honored with a special day just like we honor our mothers on Mother's Day.
And I thought it was a holiday created by card companies and tie companies. There is a reasonable explanation for why I personally disdain these days, and it goes back to my early days when I started working in my first nursing home.
I was only twenty four years old, and my job was to supervise the cleaning and maintenance staff. I was required to work every year on these day, because the place was always packed with visitors. Visitors who only showed up twice a year, I might add. I had to be there for the complaints. Yes there were many complaints. One son complained about his mom’s bed being wobbly. I told him that his mom was in another room. Sorry it’s been a long time since his last visit.
They complained about the food, about the nurses, and trhe furniture anything to assuage their guilt for putting their parents in a nursing home. Some children fought with their parents about money and inheritances. Some children asked for money, and some had to be evicted because their parent’s did not want to see them. The two day a year kids.
The moral of the story is that if your parent is in a nursing home, everyday is Father’s Day. Statistics prove that those residents who have active participation by a family member or a friend, live longer, and are more protected from neglect and abuse. The more you yell (not about silly stuff- see http://myelderadvocate.typepad.com/blog/2008/12/how-to-complain-about-a-nursing-home.html) the safer they will stay.
If you can’t be there, try to get someone to visit and advocate for them.
This is Scrooge saying, Happy Father’s Day and may you all stay forever young.
The idea for creating a day for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington. A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909.
Having been raised by her father, William Jackson Smart, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her. It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Sonora's father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910.
In 1926, a National Father's Day Committee was formed in New York City. Father's Day was recognized by a Joint Resolution of Congress in 1956. In 1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday of June. So Father's Day was born in memory and gratitude by a daughter who thought that her father and all good fathers should be honored with a special day just like we honor our mothers on Mother's Day.
And I thought it was a holiday created by card companies and tie companies. There is a reasonable explanation for why I personally disdain these days, and it goes back to my early days when I started working in my first nursing home.
I was only twenty four years old, and my job was to supervise the cleaning and maintenance staff. I was required to work every year on these day, because the place was always packed with visitors. Visitors who only showed up twice a year, I might add. I had to be there for the complaints. Yes there were many complaints. One son complained about his mom’s bed being wobbly. I told him that his mom was in another room. Sorry it’s been a long time since his last visit.
They complained about the food, about the nurses, and trhe furniture anything to assuage their guilt for putting their parents in a nursing home. Some children fought with their parents about money and inheritances. Some children asked for money, and some had to be evicted because their parent’s did not want to see them. The two day a year kids.
The moral of the story is that if your parent is in a nursing home, everyday is Father’s Day. Statistics prove that those residents who have active participation by a family member or a friend, live longer, and are more protected from neglect and abuse. The more you yell (not about silly stuff- see http://myelderadvocate.typepad.com/blog/2008/12/how-to-complain-about-a-nursing-home.html) the safer they will stay.
If you can’t be there, try to get someone to visit and advocate for them.
This is Scrooge saying, Happy Father’s Day and may you all stay forever young.
I like to encourage people to create their own holidays in the families. That way it's unique and special (and no lines at restaurants!). Way to go in giving a shout out for father's day to any dad.
Posted by: Caregiver LA | Thursday, July 02, 2009 at 03:11 AM