Happy Father's Day!

A year in the making

After yet another trip down an aisle of golf clubs, neckties, and fishing on tranquil lakes - I had had enough. I desperately wanted to write an article about the ridiculousness of typical Father’s Day cards, and offer alternatives. But sadly, this idea came to me in June 2024… so, I had to be patient. I wrote the idea on a post-it note, and stuck it on the bookcase next to my desk - just to make sure I didn’t forget.

I held off until January 2025, when I pitched it to Marisa LaScala at Good Housekeeping. (Marisa and I previously worked together on this article together.) And I was thrilled that she was instantly on board. I knew it was a quirky idea, and I was grateful that the GH team was as excited as I was.

We brainstormed card illustrations in March. We all agreed we wanted to avoid the stereotypical “fun dad” activities, like playing catch in the backyard. Those are all extra activities - they are optional. We wanted to show everyday acts of care. I offered several ideas; they took three of them (bath time, reading books, cooking dinner) and added one of their own (filming a TikTok video.)

Some of my other ideas didn’t make it… waving goodbye to a kid in a backpack as they leave for school, taking a walk with a teenager, and bandaging a scraped knee. But that’s OK… I think the four they chose turned out great.

I turned in my draft in April, and they had some good edits for me. (That last paragraph about which card my kids chose - that was their suggestion.) They shared the illustrations with me in May and invited feedback. It was a true collaboration - and a joy to work with such a kind and creative team.

If you have not seen the full article, you can read it here. I’d appreciate it if you would share this with your networks, friends, and dads in your life.

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I didn’t mention my own dad in the article - instead I talked about Evan and the kids. But for those of you who knew my dad, I think you’d agree he would have loved these cards. Sure, he grilled, he wore a tie to work, and he played golf once a year. But those activities did not define him. His relationships are what defined him. And if here were still with us, I would love to give him one of these cards. (I probably would have chosen the cooking one for him.)

I’m sending this out today, Wednesday afternoon, in honor of my dad. He used to call Wednesday hump day, and he would tell me during a difficult week, “Katie! You’re over the hump! You’ve got three whole days behind you, and the weekend will be here before you know it.” And to this day, I still smile to myself when I make it to the end of a Wednesday.

I’m going to try something new - I am going to stop agonizing over my Substacks and try to get them out a little faster… even if that means they’re not so polished. (I’ll try very hard to get one out every week - but if I falter, please forgive me.) And in tribute to my dad, I’ll always line up emails to go out on Wednesday afternoon - so when this email hits your inbox, it comes with this unspoken message…

Congratulations!! You made it over hump day. You’ve got the majority of the week behind you, and you’re that much closer to the weekend.

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HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

Sending lots of love to the dads and the father-figures in our lives.