In past years, I’ve shared how your dad is just a regular guy in a cape. We’ve talked about how little girls soften their daddy’s hearts. This Father’s Day, I turned to my fellow dad bloggers to see if they had any fatherly advice to share. I asked them for any wisdom they might have for other dads, plus any “dad advice” they have for kids and young people. Here’s what they had to say.

Tony Conrad of Tony Conrad’s Kitchen says:

My best advice to dads would be for them to teach their kids to cook. Lots of great lessons can be learned in the kitchen… like fractions with measuring ingredients. Plus, I’ve found that the best conversations happen in the kitchen while cooking with your kids.

It’s no secret that I’m hardly a whiz in the kitchen. For a time there, all I knew how to make was toast and reservations. My adventures in Kwan’s Creative Catering have expanded, but it’s obvious enough that my better half is clearly better at this than I am. The good news is that Addie has definitely taken an interest in “helping” with food prep, cooking and baking, so this will be continue to be a part of her upbringing. Hopefully baby Kwan #2 is equally interested.

Stacey Robinsmith of A Dad In the Burbs, who you might remember from #5DadsGoWild, says:

My go-to dad advice is “more throttle is often the solution to difficult situations.” And then conversely, “When you find yourself in hole, stop digging.”

Ah, if only life were so simple as to have a single rule that could apply to everything. It’s true that, on some level, hard work and dedication can make up for a deficit in natural talent. You’ve got to put in the hours. You’ve got to try. And yes, at the same time, if what you’re doing isn’t working, maybe you should try something else.

James Oliver of ‘trepLife Dad says:

As your twins get older, it doesn’t get easier, it just gets different.

Indeed, this doesn’t just apply to raising twins, but raising children in general. This is a big part of the reason why so many parents say you should “embrace the moment” because it’ll be over in a flash. They’re only so little for so long, so cherish every milestone as best you can. And be ready when they throw you another curve ball.

Moving from advice FOR dads to advice FROM dads, Jay Figueroa of Daddy Figs says:

Mistakes and failures are just stepping stones. Never be afraid to make them.

We should try our best, absolutely. But, we must also recognize that failure is inevitable. You learn a heck of a lot more from failure than you do success. It’s okay to stumble and trip. Just remember to get back up, learn from what happened, and try again applying this newfound knowledge.

And finally, let’s close with a few more nuggets of dad wisdom.

  • Never go into debt.
  • Never give up, but know that you’re working against the clock. Or as my dad always said, “It’s never too late, until it is.”
  • Learn to delay your gratification and understand it takes a goal, a plan and consistent action to reach your dreams. With those habits you can achieve anything. Anything.

Happy Father’s Day, everyone!