Dad.co.uk

The main celebration that honors men, in particular fathers is Father’s Day, which originated in the U.S. This observance is not a bank holiday and in the UK, it is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. During Father’s Day observances, father figures such as grandfathers, stepfathers and fathers-in-law are recognized and showered with gifts and honored at special planned events and activities.

For Father’s Day, the most popular gift item is the greeting card, with about 7 million cards sent out in the UK each year. Other presents that are in great demand include clothing such as neckties, sweaters and socks, tools for gardening and home repairs, sports gears such as golf clubs and personalized photo items such as mugs and t-shirts. Some schools also encourage their students to make gifts and to write Father’s Day poems to their dads.

Many activities are usually planned to honor fathers, including outings, visits to fathers, dinners at home, at a restaurant or the pub and schools and Sunday schools put on special programs and presentations.

Fathers play an important role in the family unit, having rights that are critical to the proper rearing of children. However, one of the main concerns affecting many families is the frequent absences of fathers. In the UK, fathers’ rights may vary depending on whether the men are single or married. While married fathers automatically share parental responsibilities with the mothers, single fathers are required to apply for this privilege. However, with some changes to the 1989 Children Act, unmarried or single fathers who register their baby’s birth along with the mothers are accorded full parental rights.

Having fathers’ rights is critical as it provides men with joint decision-making responsibilities in their children’s lives. These include areas such as medical treatment, schooling and general upbringing. With fathers’ rights, men who have broken relationships with their child’s mother are entitled to see and visit their children frequently.

Celebrating Father’s Day to honor men and highlight the exploits and importance of fatherhood helps to strengthen the relationship between fathers and their children and the family unit in general.