Father’s Day is about much more than golf outings, fishing trips, and taking in a ballgame. It’s about spending time with family at barbecues, celebrating traditions and acknowledging the contributions of our dads. 

Just take a look at the way fathers impact child development, from changing diapers to making an emotional connection. Studies show that active fathers can help kids increase their intellect, boost their confidence, and lead to reinforcing good behaviors. There’s science behind what many of us have experienced in having a dedicated dad. 

Though we value and treasure dads, uncles, brothers, grandfathers, and sons just as much as the women in our life, Father’s Day took longer to catch on than Mothers’ Day. Father’s Day became a national holiday in 1972 whereas Mother’s Day became a holiday in 1914. The Old Farmer’s Almanac writes that Father’s Day was once dismissed as something of a Hallmark holiday: “[Fathers] derided the proliferation of such holidays as a commercial gimmick to sell more products.” 

Both Father’s Day and Mother’s Day have a history that starts in the state of West Virginia. Mother’s Day began to originate when the mothers of Confederate and Union soldiers came together in the 1860s. History.com writes that a deadly mining disaster in West Virginia spurred the first commemoration of fathers on a Sunday in July 1908. Meanwhile, a mother in the state of Washington, Sonora Smart Dodd, made it her mission to recognize the efforts of dads. The first statewide Father’s Day took place in June 1910. 

Friendship Village senior living community in Schaumburg celebrates its wonderful male residents throughout the year.  We have a beautifully decorated connector hallway with more than 70 photos and bios of the men living throughout our community.  On June 16th, we are having a fun Father's Day picnic honoring all the men living here. There will be outdoor games and music and we'll serve  hot dogs, chips, and cookies

Happy Father's Day!