I don’t know about you, but I don’t know how I would ever get through the job of parenting without my husband by my side. While I feel as though I may forever be chasing “Supermom,” I truly think my husband is actually “Superdad.” He’s amazing…He helps, he disciplines, he nurtures…He blesses us every day. Right now, not even a week after having our third child, I REALLY don’t know what I would do without him! Towards that end, I was inspired to do a post with a list of ideas of ways we as wives can honor, support, and show appreciation for the fathers of our children. Dads often go overlooked in the world of parenting, and I think it’s time to appreciate them more than once a year!

1. Food! They do say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. If you want to show your man how much you appreciate his parenting contributions, take a little bit of time out of your day to get in the kitchen and prepare something special!

– Take your time with dinner! If you are thinking that you really just don’t have the time to make something nice, you DO! All you need to do to find the time to do something a bit fancier than hot dogs or Hamburger Helper is plan and prepare! Do some prep work in the morning while the kids are watching cartoons. Take half an hour at nap time to prep your vegetables or pre-cook your chicken. Throw a roast in the crockpot in the morning and don’t worry about it for the rest of the day. I don’t know about you, but I LOVE making David a good meal, and feel like I really do show him love when I take the bit of extra time. He has a phrase that lets me know when I’ve really gone out of my way. He says, “We’re eating like kings tonight!” I live for that phrase. Make a “four course” meal. Prepare a nice entree, a tasty fresh vegetable side, homemade bread or biscuits, and a delicious starch.

– Make dessert! (and I don’t mean brownies or the chocolate chip cookies you make all the time.) Whip up a cheesecake, a layered cake, or a berry pie. Do something out of the ordinary to show your man you love him. I love the look on David’s face when he comes through the door after work and smells a fresh baked pie, or sees the cake plate full.

– Pack his lunch! If your husband has to take a lunch to work, make it for him! If your mornings are a little hectic, spend a few minutes before you go to bed, and get it packed up then. Make his favorite sandwich, and pack some of his favorite treats and snacks. Also, sneak in a little thank-you/I love you note for him.

-Have a breakfast ready for him! Not all men have time to sit down and eat a pancake breakfast in the morning. Let’s face it, not many have time to grab a banana. However, you can do things to make sure if he is “grabbing and going” that he has something better than Pop Tarts. Make a batch of muffins or banana bread so he can at least grab something home-made and hearty.

TV! Let your husband have control of the remote (and don’t fuss about it!) Guys go through a lot. They feel a lot of pressure at work, feel the strain to provide and protect, and often have a different kind of stress during the day than we mothers feel. Towards this end, the last thing they need is for their wife to throw a fit about having to watch football or an episode of StormChasers at the end of their day. (Putting up with it, also does not mean storming off to do laundry or watch tv in another room.) Stay on the couch with him (with a smile on your face.) Take an interest (or pretend very well) in what he is watching. (You may even like it after awhile! I became a HUGE college football fan, and my husband told me just yesterday that he loves how much I know about football, the BCS, the rules, players etc.) It actually showed him love to take an interest in something he enjoyed. Men like to share interests with us, and like to do “shoulder to shoulder” activities with us (like watching sports or tv).

BACKRUB! I beg for these on a nearly daily basis. However, I rarely think to reward David with one. Just because they are guys doesn’t mean their shoulders don’t ache, or their neck doesn’t get stiff…They probably hurt more! I know that whenever I have surprised David with a rub, it has meant a lot to him. (It does NOT count to give them a rub with the expectation of getting one in return.)

THANKS AND RESPECT! A thank you goes a long way. Respect goes even farther. Send your husband an email thanking him for what he does for your family while he is at work. Leave a note on his wallet or on the steering wheel of his car. Sit down and genuinely tell him you appreciate him and his hard work. Most importanly, let your actions, facial expressions, body language, etc. back up your words!!!

So, the challenge for the day is to find a way to reward the Superdad in YOUR life. I am SO grateful for the one in mine! I love you David!