Dad moments

The dad things your dad did for you.

One of mine: Early 20's, when I lived at home but went on a lads holiday. I texted him in the middle of the night (3AM on the runway and lost coverage) on a Ryanair flight from Magaluf to Shannon. I didn't sort out a lift home because I was a moron. My phone said the text didn't send. It did apparently. Found that out when we landed. He was there at arrivals at 6AM or so waiting for me, 70KM away from home! Dads are fantastic!

Any dad stories, AH?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Mine died in his early middle age and we never got to have much time together, between me at school and him slaving away for long hours to keep us. He did tell me when I was about 12 that I could be anything I wanted to be, despite putdowns by mates and teachers; and he was right.

Boom_Bap

My dad is my hero. Everything he done was a selfless act to try help others.

TheBody

Growing up on a farm, I never understood why my Dad made me follow him around and watch him fix things and come up with solutions to various problems. I was jealous of my school friends who always seemed to be out playing while I was working with him.


Fast forward to two years ago, I bought my house. I quickly realised that it was virtually impossible to find an available tradesman to do any of the many small jobs around my house. I decided to simply do them all myself. It occurred to me that the reason I knew how to do so many jobs and was skilled with so many tools was all down to my father.


He passed away 4 years ago and I think of him EVERY day and miss him to bits.


Sorry, I have to go. I seem to have something in my eye.

Pherekydes

My dad got up in the middle of the night to make himself a cup of tea, but he never got to drink it coz he keeled over with a massive heart attack.

I think of that every time I wake up in the middle of the night and go downstairs to make a cup of tea...

Rubberlegs

One that comes to mind is when I was learning to drive, in bad weather he would follow me the ten miles home to make sure I got there OK. Then turn around and go home again. He made me laugh with his very irreverent sense of humour. He could be infuriating, probably because I am the female version of him, too much alike:) His heart was in the right place though . Gone 8 years now and just lately I am thinking of him a lot.

McMurphy

My dad is still relatively young, early 60s , non smoker, non drinker, exercises fairly regular good diet etc, so hopefully there's lots of miles still on the clock yet.

2 passions in life he has are GAA and horses.


I actually contemplated having him as my best man on my wedding day, as he is the best man I know.

Mr. Incognito

My Dad had an amazing Life. In the Military. Fought in Wars. Was always the life and soul of the party.

His attitidue every single day was **** it I'm alive. What's fun.

Also had PTSD.

Taught me to have an amazing attitude and not to worry.

Also taught me the follys of sitting on your hole by watching him waste away.

Cancer in 08. Ten years now. Jesus. Where does it go.

I miss him.

SeaFields

Maybe to flip the op slightly.. I was putting my small one to bed recently. Just before she fell asleep she put her hands around my head, kissed me on the forehead and said "Daddy ... you're my best friend"

Lorelli!

I love these kinds of threads. I spent a lot of time with my Dad because he stayed at home for a about 5/6 years when I was growing up and my mam worked for a while. He's not a saint but he'd help anyone out who needed it and he would always be there for me no matter what. He's a very fair person plus he's funny

We were in Spain one year when i was around 19 and I went out for a drink with him. We were playing connect four at the table and the waiter came over and started to light a candle as if we were together My dad was like "no you're alright with the candle, that's my daughter!" Well youd think he wouldn't shut up for the rest of the night when the others joined us about how young he must look!

Canis Lupus

He was a miserable git most of his life then he died. I wasn't terribly bothered at the time but now I'm in my late 30's I feel like I wish I had the chance to rewind time a bit but such is life.

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

Malayalam

My Dad was the best Dad ever. In a skillion ways. Most amusing person I have ever met too, and handsome, and genuinely straight up, traditional, all cards on the table sort of guy - he had zero bull**** tolerance.

One memory that sticks is him doing a 180 degree turn on a busy road without losing any speed and zooming back the way we had just come because I had carelessly told him some guy had been a dick to me. Haha! Had to talk him down from going to the fella's house and clobbering him. In fact when I was very much older some lads in the town told me none of the guys would go out with me when we were teens because they were scared of my Dad. And there was I thinking it was because I wasn't cool. Bring back Dads like that! There'd be no going out with only yer g-string and transparent tights on with that kind of Dad, I'm telling you.

myshirt

My Dad would always say 'Give her one for me'.

So on every second weekend during my late teens, with the latest conquest I'd always think 'This one is for my Dad'.

Forever supportive.

Eggs For Dinner

Started to type loads of things about my Da...Can't

Miss you Da X

Malayalam

jacksie66 wrote: »

I remember when I was very young and my father used to bring me to the bog on the bar of the bike. I can still remember having my arms around him and listening to him breathing. At night he used to tell me all these amazing stories he'd come up with. He's my absolute hero. A man I aspire to be like everyday..

Instant tears! Ahhh...Dads.

Shenshen

Well, the moments I remember most clearly was when he had me reduced to tears, ranting at me that I was a useless loser, a fat pig and that he was ashamed I was his daughter.

I haven't spoken to him in well over 20 years now, only one of my brothers still keeps in touch with him. The softest of us all, he told me once he hates him, too, but kind of feels a sense of responsability for him.

On the plus side, he's giving me a shining example of what I NEVER, EVER, EVER want to be like.

When he finally does kick the bucket, I know there'll be lots of people celebrating.

PlaneSpeeking

My dad took me to football from when I was 6 till he thought I was old enough to go alone as a teenager.

My mum passed when I was 22 and my brother moved out soon after, just me and him since then.

He's been in a nursing home with dementia the last two years and though I try not to admit it too often, damn I miss him. But I miss the dad before that ****er of an illness got it's hooks into him.

If I was to list everything he'd done for me it would break the internet and leave Kardashian's arse in the ha'penny place.

If your dad is with you, tell him you love him. While he knows what you're saying.

fancy pigeon

I could rattle on all day about all the good things over the years, but the main things my dad taught me are determination and a life self sustained/to do things myself and not to rely on others. Those 2 attributes have shaped me into the person I am today.

We share the same interests, thus spend plenty of time on tasks, projects and trips together, usually having a good laugh in the process

PlaneSpeeking

Shenshen wrote: »

Well, the moments I remember most clearly was when he had me reduced to tears, ranting at me that I was a useless loser, a fat pig and that he was ashamed I was his daughter.

I haven't spoken to him in well over 20 years now, only one of my brothers still keeps in touch with him. The softest of us all, he told me once he hates him, too, but kind of feels a sense of responsability for him.

On the plus side, he's giving me a shining example of what I NEVER, EVER, EVER want to be like.

When he finally does kick the bucket, I know there'll be lots of people celebrating.

That's sad.

A mate had a toxic relationship with her mother and vowed to be the best mother ever to her son, she's lived up to that.

I am sure you will too.

mimimcmc

Shenshen wrote: »

Well, the moments I remember most clearly was when he had me reduced to tears, ranting at me that I was a useless loser, a fat pig and that he was ashamed I was his daughter.

I haven't spoken to him in well over 20 years now, only one of my brothers still keeps in touch with him. The softest of us all, he told me once he hates him, too, but kind of feels a sense of responsability for him.

On the plus side, he's giving me a shining example of what I NEVER, EVER, EVER want to be like.

When he finally does kick the bucket, I know there'll be lots of people celebrating.

Similar here, haven't spoke to him in about 16 years and I literally can not think of one nice thing he has ever done or said, I do remember seeing videos of me being glued to him as a toddler, but that was probably just "daddy's girl" kinda age..
Last I heard he lives in England, couldn't really care less if he was dead or alive at this point, my mother was the best mother and father ever

tayto lover

Shenshen wrote: »

Well, the moments I remember most clearly was when he had me reduced to tears, ranting at me that I was a useless loser, a fat pig and that he was ashamed I was his daughter.

I haven't spoken to him in well over 20 years now, only one of my brothers still keeps in touch with him. The softest of us all, he told me once he hates him, too, but kind of feels a sense of responsability for him.

On the plus side, he's giving me a shining example of what I NEVER, EVER, EVER want to be like.

When he finally does kick the bucket, I know there'll be lots of people celebrating.

I play golf with a man who didn't talk to his dad for 8 years.
His dad died suddenly and it's eating my friend up that he never tried to make peace and withstood his dad's efforts to do so.
You don't have to like your dad or be too close to him but at least ring him and have a little bit of contact. It will make it easier in the long run. He's still your dad.

Graces7

My earthly dad? How long a list? Abuser, almost equalling Henry 8th... leaving damaged women and kids behind... Long gone now.

Graces7

tayto lover wrote: »

I play golf with a man who didn't talk to his dad for 8 years.
His dad died suddenly and it's eating my friend up that he never tried to make peace and withstood his dad's efforts to do so.
You don't have to like your dad or be too close to him but at least ring him and have a little bit of contact. It will make it easier in the long run. He's still your dad.

I tried that with mine. To be insulted and reviled all over again. Was not even told he was dead .... decided to try again and he had died years before and never a thought. Nb a long illness so no excuse. He hurt by living and he hurt by dying. I forgave over and over and over.

Irish Guitarist

When I was around five years old my father bought a goat with the intention of fattening her up and killing her to eat. I didn't realise this and I named her Jennifer Hart.

I grew up thinking that my father had given this goat back to whoever he bought her from and gotten his money back. Now I'm fairly sure that never happened. It's just not the type of thing he would have done.

So I most likely ate Jennifer Hart.

amcalester

Went for a pint with him last week, he gave me money to buy a round.

I'm mid-30's with a well paying job but it's moments like that that make me realize I'll always be his kid.

Shenshen

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

That's sad.

A mate had a toxic relationship with her mother and vowed to be the best mother ever to her son, she's lived up to that.

I am sure you will too.

Thanks, but it wasn't so much parenting I had in mind when I said he gave a good example of how not to be. I was more thinking about everyone you encounter in life. By setting himself as one of the worst examples, he taught me (I hope) not to be arrogant, not to be judgemental, to give people the benefit of the doubt, to listen to them and to take them as they are, not as you expect them to be.
Not sure I'm living up to it, but I'm certainly trying every day.

So in a way, even an arsehole of a dad can still teach you valuable lessons.

Graces7

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

When I was around five years old my father bought a goat with the intention of fattening her up and killing her to eat. I didn't realise this and I named her Jennifer Hart.

I grew up thinking that my father had given this goat back to whoever he bought her from and gotten his money back. Now I'm fairly sure that never happened. It's just not the type of thing he would have done.

So I most likely ate Jennifer Hart.

Aww. Mine did that with my rabbit, with chickens I loved, shot sparrows in front of me.... Only found out as a twenty something that he had had my pet rabbit served up as dinner. threw up then I did.. :eek:. Poor Popeye...

Shenshen

tayto lover wrote: »

I play golf with a man who didn't talk to his dad for 8 years.
His dad died suddenly and it's eating my friend up that he never tried to make peace and withstood his dad's efforts to do so.
You don't have to like your dad or be too close to him but at least ring him and have a little bit of contact. It will make it easier in the long run. He's still your dad.

Yes, I hear that quite a bit.
When I broke off contact with him, I broke off contact with his side of the family altogether. A number of them (including both my grandparents) have died since, and to be honest, I didn't have the slightest emotional reaction to that when I heard.

He's never made any attempt at getting in touch with me, or with my brother. The brother who still has contact with him told me once that he's never once mentioned either of us since we broke off contact.

When my parents split up (2nd happiest day of my life so far, only exclipsed by my wedding day), I had to take him to court to pay child support for me and my brothers. I was the one who had to step up due to the way German courts handle legal aid. My mother was working part-time as a nurse back then. Her salary wasn't enough to cover our monthly outgoings, but because she had an income, she would not have qualified for legal aid. My brothers were still under 16, I had only just turned 16, but was still at school. I didn't have any income, so if I brought the case forward, I could avail of legal aid.
He proceeded to try and terrorise me into stopping the proceedings, constant phone calls, waiting in front of the house to intimidate me, it was quite nasty. However, for me it was strangely cathargic. I ended up laughing in his face and telling him I'd put in for a restraining order on top of the child support case if he didn't stop. I finally felt free.

I don't owe him anything, and I have literally said all I ever had to say to him. I honestly don't expect to be feeling anything once he dies. Other than maybe happy for my mother, who is still scared of him.

Irish Guitarist

Graces7 wrote: »

Aww. Mine did that with my rabbit, with chickens I loved, shot sparrows in front of me.... Only found out as a twenty something that he had had my pet rabbit served up as dinner. threw up then I did.. :eek:. Poor Popeye...

My father used to leave out food for the birds. If any crows went to eat the food though he'd shoot them. At a family dinner a couple of years ago my family were telling 'funny' stories about how my father shot the neighbours dog in the leg. I can't say I found it as hilarious as everyone else seemed to.

PlaneSpeeking

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

My father used to leave out food for the birds. If any crows went to eat the food though he'd shoot them. At a family dinner a couple of years ago my family were telling 'funny' stories about how my father shot the neighbours dog in the leg. I can't say I found it as hilarious as everyone else seemed to.

WTF is wrong with some people ?

We had pet chickens and when one was sick my dad sent me to the shops rather than I see anything. Good dads protect kids from that s**t.

JupiterKid

My father was an absolutely brilliant man and also my rock. He did so much for me. He was fearless, direct, honest, a man of integrity, a real example of what a good father can and should be.

He worked very hard so that my family wanted for nothing. He made lots of sacrifices so that we would be happy, secure and comfortable. My dad always told me that he was proud of me and my achievements even when he should have been ashamed of me. He told me to chase my dreams and never ever give up.

Gone four years now. There's not a single day when I don't think of him or miss him.

Shenshen

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

WTF is wrong with some people ?

We had pet chickens and when one was sick my dad sent me to the shops rather than I see anything. Good dads protect kids from that s**t.

Some people are nasty, sick bastards.
Fathering children rarely changes that

homosapien91

Love reading people's stories about their dads and feel sad about the ones who do not speak with their dad anymore, I lost my dad when I was very young so didn't really know him, what I would give to spend one day with the him to ask all the questions I've had in my head all these years, my mam doesn't like to talk about it too much

TheBody

TheBody wrote: »

Growing up on a farm, I never understood why my Dad made me follow him around and watch him fix things and come up with solutions to various problems. I was jealous of my school friends who always seemed to be out playing while I was working with him.


Fast forward to two years ago, I bought my house. I quickly realised that it was virtually impossible to find an available tradesman to do any of the many small jobs around my house. I decided to simply do them all myself. It occurred to me that the reason I knew how to do so many jobs and was skilled with so many tools was all down to my father.


He passed away 4 years ago and I think of him EVERY day and miss him to bits.


Sorry, I have to go. I seem to have something in my eye.

No doubt he was a great man. Opposite to my aul lad though. Loved DIY but was terrible at it. I mean properly dreadful. Himself and the next door neighbour chanced their arms building a dividing wall....with gallons of cider as refreshments. It was a disaster but its still standing!

Youngish men back then. He also supervised anything I did with any car, or in the house. I'm a jack of all trades but a master of one. Sparks! The aul lad was so happy the day the cert came through the door.. My car, his car, sisters car, brothers car. He was always there telling me what to do. He was always wrong, but he was always there. I'd kill to have him stand, do nothing or give out to me while I'm under his car.

Malayalam

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

No doubt he was a great man. Opposite to my aul lad though. Loved DIY but was terrible at it. I mean properly dreadful. Himself and the next door neighbour chanced their arms building a dividing wall....with gallons of cider as refreshments. It was a disaster but its still standing!

Youngish men back then. He also supervised anything I did with any car, or in the house. I'm a jack of all trades but a master of one. Sparks! The aul lad was so happy the day the cert came through the door.. My car, his car, sisters car, brothers car. He was always there telling me what to do. He was always wrong, but he was always there. I'd kill to have him stand, do nothing or give out to me while I'm under his car.

My Dad built a big house from the foundations up (including digging them) and did every single job that went into it, electrics, plumbing, woodwork, everything to the last nail. He could fix anything from a car to a hairdryer to a whole factory on shut down. The only thing he couldn't get a handle on at all was the smallest task of housework :P

Lorelli!

Malayalam wrote: »

My Dad built a big house from the foundations up (including digging them) and did every single job that went into it, electrics, plumbing, woodwork, everything to the last nail. He could fix anything from a car to a hairdryer to a whole factory on shut down. The only thing he couldn't get a handle on at all was the smallest task of housework :P

Yea well Malayalam, my dad built Boards.i.e. So there!

RocketRaccoon

Left my mother while she was pregnant.
Adopted by another man when I was 2, didn't find out until I was 16, he was grand until him and my mom got divorced. Nowadays, absolutely useless.

I've promised myself that my kids will never ever think of me the way I think of him, I'll make sure I'm a proper father to them so they don't put up with the crap I did.

My grandfather was my hero, an incredible man who I idolised.

PlaneSpeeking

homosapien91 wrote: »

Love reading people's stories about their dads and feel sad about the ones who do not speak with their dad anymore, I lost my dad when I was very young so didn't really know him, what I would give to spend one day with the him to ask all the questions I've had in my head all these years, my mam doesn't like to talk about it too much

My own dad lost his dad when he was 11, I believe it made him cherish the time he had with me just in case.

My condolences.

PlaneSpeeking

RocketRaccoon wrote: »

Left my mother while she was pregnant.
Adopted by another man when I was 2, didn't find out until I was 16, he was grand until him and my mom got divorced. Nowadays, absolutely useless.

I've promised myself that my kids will never ever think of me the way I think of him, I'll make sure I'm a proper father to them so they don't put up with the crap I did.

My grandfather was my hero, an incredible man who I idolised.

"Dad" may not refer to someone's biological father as such, like your case - my mother's mother died giving birth and my grandfather could not cope and remarried in short order.

The step mother hated my mother and doted on her own son, expecting Granddad to do likewise. Shamefully he did.

My mother was raised by her uncle who she called Dad and who gave her away at her wedding. Dads are men who step up.

yourdeadwright

No real story to share as there's to many , but the one moment that sums up my Da for me,
When my first child was born I remember sitting there holding her for the first time thinking and hoping, " If I'm half as good at being a dad as my own father , then that's more than enough  "

Rx713B

We go for a pint every Thursday together - Some days we have a right oul chat other days we may not either way we enjoy the time together. I grew up working for him and I made it clear I wanted to be seen as an employee and not the bosses son. He agreed and we built our work relationship that way outside of work he's my best friend.

Malayalam

Lorelli! wrote: »

Yea well Malayalam, my dad built Boards.i.e. So there!

Hehe :P If true, I know someone close to me who met him in the past so.. :pac: The six degrees of separation never fails.

Irish Guitarist

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

WTF is wrong with some people ?

We had pet chickens and when one was sick my dad sent me to the shops rather than I see anything. Good dads protect kids from that s**t.

My father was okay for the most part. For instance he never raised a hand to any of us. I was born in 1976 and am the youngest of six children. I think it's fairly unusual for a father in the sixties and seventies to never lay a hand on their kids.

In other ways though it was hard to figure out what was going on his head. He didn't think much of animals (apart from small birds). He used to shoot crows that were just flying around.

He had a bizarre sense of humour too which made bringing friends to my house a problem. For instance he once threw a knife at my friend as we were walking out the door. It was his intention to miss my friend and just scare him but if he had turned back his eye would have been gone. He used to do the same to my sisters boyfriends and the wall was full of knife holes.

I knew he loved me but it was hard to relate to him. I don't want to portray him as a terrible person as he wasn't. For the most part he was decent but sometimes I think about some of the things he did and wonder what the hell was going on in his head.

RocketRaccoon

Rx713B wrote: »

We go for a pint every Thursday together - Some days we have a right oul chat other days we may not either way we enjoy the time together. I grew up working for him and I made it clear I wanted to be seen as an employee and not the bosses son. He agreed and we built our work relationship that way outside of work he's my best friend.

This is exactly what I want when mine grow up.

Lorelli!

Malayalam wrote: »

Hehe :P If true, I know someone close to me who met him in the past so.. :pac: The six degrees of separation never fails.

I was messing. It was a compliment to your dad though

Maybe it was just us but when we were kids, say if you were in the playground or somewhere and waiting for a go on the swing. You'd say to the other kid on the swing "c'mon it's my shot" and then you'd get into an argument and one kid would throw the "my dad built these swings" in and the other one would say "well my dad built the slide" and then some random kid would come along declaring their dad had built the whole playground

Malayalam

Lorelli! wrote: »

I was messing. It was a compliment to your dad though

Maybe it was just us but when we were kids, say if you were in the playground or somewhere and waiting for a go on the swing. You'd say to the other kid on the swing "c'mon it's my shot" and then you'd get into an argument and one kid would throw the "my dad built these swings" in and the other one would say "well my dad built the slide" and then some random kid would come along declaring their dad had built the whole playground

Hahaha sorry I have a habit of taking things literally.

It's sad some of the stories where Dads were bad eggs. They can fcuk you up, your Mam and Dad, as the line goes. They were our gods when we were helpless.

gmisk

My dad and myself aren't what a lot of people would consider close. He had a fairly tough upbringing.
The first thing he says when I ring is. "I will get your mum".
I do now have huge respect for him though, he worked abroad til I was 16 to try and make a better life for us, which couldn't have been easy.

Oh he is a plumber though and he did a brilliant job putting in new radiators in the house

DEFTLEFTHAND

Mine has funny little quirks and idiosyncrasies that crack me up.

For instance he uses 'gob****e' as a term of endearment for people.

corner of hells

My Dad died in a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp in the early 70s , apparently he fell out of a watchtower , drunk as a lord.

I'm supposed to have some of traits , like telling ridiculous lies and having a daft sense of humour.

ArnoldJRimmer

In late 2016 and early 2017, my Dad started to lose weight at an alarming rate. He always had a belly on him, so it was scary to see him all of a sudden looking so gaunt. Throughout 2017, doctors and consultants in both Ireland the UK seemed to complete every test known to man on him, but could not find a diagnosis. In the meantime he found it impossible to eat, and started to become confused and depressed, probably due to malnutrition. I live in the US, and my parents were due to visit in September 2017, where we had planned a road trip, and some time in my new house. Instead, I was making multiple trips home to Ireland as we were all fearing the worst.

Then, in around November/ December, out of desperation we asked the doctors to just start any kind of treatment that might help. All along, we thought it likely to be a blood disorder despite the tests showing up nothing, so they started pumping him with a cocktail of drugs to see what would happen. And amazingly, within six weeks, he was well enough to leave the hospital. It was slow and steady progress through the new year, but by around March, he was his old self again. To this day, we are not exactly sure what caused the illness

I've just spent a fantastic few weeks with my parents that this time last year was unimaginable. A road trip where he guided me (only recently got my first licence) across numerous states, and I taught him how to use google maps. The recent storms brought down a chunk of tree at my house and we spent time clearing it up and sawing the branches into manageable pieces, while he gave me advice on how to treat the wooden fence. Even just going for a few pints and having a laugh, I will never take for granted the time I spend with my father again.