They’d rather you not check in so much. They’d rather you not tell them how you feel about them so much. They’d rather you not hug them in front of their friends.

And?

It’s not a coincidence that father rhymes with bother. That’s our job. To be up in their business.

As we’ve said before, bothering is not the same as nagging or overloading. Bothering is about being involved. Not being so involved that they never fail or never have space, but just enough that they know we’re there and that we care.

Sure, they might squirm a bit. They might complain. They might tease or make fun of us. But that’s how we know we’re doing our jobs. Because they feel us there, in their lives, on their side, up in their business.

P.S. This was originally sent on March 16, 2021. Sign up today for the Daily Dad’s email and get our popular 11 page eBook, “20 Things Great Dads Do Everyday.”