First of all, Happy Father’s Day 2012 to all of the dads, dads-to-be and father-figures out there! Sunday is your day of recognition and pride so enjoy it! This week, as I was socializing my Father’s Day Reviewed Gifts Guide, I was putting in some hashtags into my tweets. When I had space, I used #fathersday or #father but when I had only a couple of characters left, I used #dadsday or #dad. And this got me thinking about the two terms a bit: father vs dad.
Is there a difference between being a father and being a dad? I think that there is, but I would love to get some thoughts from my readers so be sure to weigh in below in the comments area. And should we rename Father’s Day to Daddy’s Day? (Or, as my 8 year old wrote on her calendar – “Da Da Day!”)
In my mind, the word “father” seems to be much more serious in nature. When you fill out a form, it’s always “Father’s Name.” If your child gets in trouble, it’s always, “wait till your father gets home” or “what is your father’s phone number?” And, I used the term “father-figure” above which, in my mind, brings up the idea of someone of authority like a teacher or someone in law enforcement.
“Dad” on the other hand, to me brings out the idea of fun. My kids call me “daddy” which is a term of endearment. Even when they are mad at me, they still use “Dad” and when they talk to their friends, they don’t say “my father wouldn’t let me do it” it’s “my dad wouldn’t let me do it.”
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