Father’s Day deserves to be recognized for the major milestone it is, especially for new dads celebrating their first. Of course, no two dads are alike: not every man with a baby on his hip wants barbecue tools or beer kits.
And unless he’s a suit-and-tie kinda guy, the stereotypical plaid tie or pair of argyle socks may miss the mark as well. Set the tone now for what a thoughtful Father’s Day gift should look like for the years ahead. Here, a few gift ideas that no first-time father will soon forget.
1. A late sleep-in session
Whether he’s a night owl or an early riser, anyone with a baby in the house probably isn’t getting enough sleep. Let him know you care about his self-care by giving him a couple extra hours of zzzs on Father’s Day morning. Be sure to silence any alarms he has set so he can maximize those REM cycles.
2. Share his favorite hobby with him
A common struggle among new parents is finding the time or energy to share in each other’s interests.
Sure, pre-kids, you may have tagged along on your partner’s hobbies—fishing at the lake, cheering him on at games through his office soccer league, or taking the same woodworking class—but now? It’s all divide-and-conquer.
At least for Father’s Day, make his hobby a priority, and instead of sending him off to enjoy it alone, let him introduce it to the newest member of the family.
3. Schedule a date night—with his friends
Studies show that people often lose touch with close friends within the first year of becoming a parent. Although it’s understandable—who has time to hang out when there’s a baby to keep alive?!—it’s often harder for men to recover their social circle once life settles down.
Do your part to show your partner how much you value his friendships by marking a handful of “Dad Dates” in the calendar, so that he has pre-planned opportunities to meet up with his buds. (Even better: coordinate these dates with your mom friends so all the dad friends have the same dates freed up.)
4. Upgrade his desktop photo
Gone are the days of keeping a sleeve of baby pictures in your wallet, and few of us these days have actual office desks in need of framed family portraits. But the sentiment of a framed photo can still live on … on his phone or laptop.
Covertly replace the “wallpaper” on Dad’s screen with a sweet new photo. He’ll be in for a sweet surprise when he turns on his device. You can even make it a fun tradition to sneakily update his background photo each year.
5. Check off his chores
Sometimes we task dads with some pretty dirty jobs. In many homes, they’re the ones unloading the stinky diaper pail, taking out the garbage, picking up dog poop, or breaking down all those delivery boxes we toss in the garage.
Tackle some of his chores so that he can enjoy a trash-free day—and so that you can be reminded of all the ways he contributes when you think he’s not pulling his weight!
6. Bake his favorite treat
The way to a man’s heart—or, let’s be real, anyone’s heart—is through their stomach. Instead of struggling over the perfect gift, whip up his favorite snack.
Does he love fresh guac and chips? Does his sweet tooth demand chocolate chip cookies or brownies? Whatever it is, he’ll enjoy it more because it was made with—you guessed it—love.
7. A sentimental card
Any greeting card will do, but the key to making his first Father’s Day card one worth saving in the memento box is to take the time to share some sweet sentiments.
Recount a few of your favorite memories of him as a dad, or try a silly rhyming poem. Even listing a few firsts with the baby—the first book he read, the first song they danced to, the first food he fed, the first solo adventure they took—will be a gift to look back on for years to come.
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