People Share Why Their Father Actually Deserves The #1 Dad Mug
What makes your dad the best dad in the world? One Reddit user asked people to imagine a world where the number ranking on the #1 Dad mugs changed in real time with actual rankings and asked others to share why their dad actually deserves to be in first place.
People were quick to share stories about their dads, and the results are heartwarming.
He Just Wanted To Capture His Memory
"I was born with a congenital heart condition: the doctors told my parents that I would need surgery.
"My big sister wasn’t allowed to come and see me, so while I was hooked up to the ventilator, my dad took the time to draw me. He spent about an hour on it and brought it to my sister so that she could 'meet me.' I still have that drawing and I will keep it forever."
He Had Unlimited Patience, And It Wasn't His Own Son
"My stepfather 100% deserves it. He came into my mother's life when I was almost 10. As a teen, my biological dad told me I didn't have to listen to my stepdad, so I treated him poorly, when all he was trying to do was make sure I was doing my best in life; he put up with all my garbage with patience and kindness despite it all."
Can Someone Pass The Kleenex?
"My dad never stopped fighting to create a better life for me and my four younger siblings. He worked two jobs while attending university. Even when he was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma skin cancer, he refused to give up on showing us how much he loved his wife and children.
"It’s been 12 years since his passing. His influence is still shaping the man and husband I’m becoming. Every day, I strive to make him proud and to be the #1 son."
Well, That Would Be A Rude Awakening
"It's gonna be weird when some guy's plain mug suddenly shows a father ranking for him."
I mean, I hope it would take him on a journey to finding his long lost kid(s).
A Good Dad To All
"My dad treats my younger half-siblings like his own. He knows their father is a terrible dad and although my Mum passed away a while ago, he still buys us all (six of us, only two are his biological children) really amazing Christmas and birthday presents. They aren't always expensive, but they're always things we like.
"When my Mum passed away, my dad and stepmom paid for the funeral because my stepdad didn't want to. I couldn't wish for a better father for myself and grandfather for my daughter."
He Sounds Like Such An Amazing, Giving Man
"My father has more love to share than anyone else I know. If you need him, even if you don't know him, he will love you and be there for you.
"So, for that love, he deserves the #1 spot, but he'd never take it. He'd give it to someone who needed the validation."
Parents Who Prioritize Their Child's Well-Being Over Grades
"My grades were very bad, especially on one test. I could see in his eyes he hoped for better but didn't say a word. I was super upset after that and when he saw, he asked why. I told him about the obvious and he said, 'Don't be sad: it was just a test. Just try to do better next time.'
"This incident always makes my eyes moist even after eight years."
Showing Up Is Half The Job
"He's there for me whenever I need him. I can call him at any time and he'll help me with all my technology troubles and stuff. He's also just really cool and chill, and I appreciate him a lot!"
A Morally Unmoveable Man
"My dad just watched Spotlight and it was really affecting him. His dad had been a lawyer for the church and let the child abuse be covered up. We were talking about it, and the phrase 'is this the hill you want to die on?' came up. My dad said, 'Either you die on that hill or a part of you dies.'
"At that moment, I realized how lucky I am that my dad always tries to do the right thing. His whole life is about helping other people. If I can be anything like my dad, I'm on the right path."
Perfection Isn't Necessary
"He doesn't deserve the #1 spot, but that's okay. He's a good dad, but he's also a human who's made mistakes—including in his parenting. I love him anyway and forgive him for anything he's done wrong, just like he loves me and forgives me for all the things I've done wrong."
Not All Dads Can Be #1
"My dad went to prison for gunrunning."
This is like that one kid who insisted on joining the track team despite not being a good runner, making all the other kids look much faster.
He Probably Felt So Out Of Place In There
"My dad noticed I liked to watch anime when I was 14. One day, he walked past a manga themed store in the city. He entered and asked an employee to help him—he had no clue which anime I had watched and so the employee recommended a Naruto poster.
"He came home and showed it to me. I never watched Naruto, but the proud look on his face and the fact that he stood in this store and searched for it made me put it in the middle of the wall in my room. It's still up even though I stopped watching anime some time ago.
"The fact that he puts so much thought into gifts even though he doesn't share my love for the subject shows me how much I mean to him."
I'm Cackling Over The Term "Sperm Donor"
"When my mom was pregnant at 17, the sperm donor that got her pregnant decided he didn't want to be a father and bailed two months in. My REAL father whom my mom had been dating on and off at the time, stepped up at the young age of 17 and agreed to be the father I needed.
"He gave up being the first person in his family to go to college and instead immediately enrolled in a plumber apprenticeship. He has never once made me feel like I was anything but his son. I didn't even know about any of this until I was 23 years old."
Hindsight Really Gives You Perspective
"When I was a kid, my dad and I had a tradition every week of going to the video store and renting a movie or two to watch together. I used to get really upset at him because every single time we'd actually start to watch the movie, he would fall asleep.
"It wasn't until I was older that I realized that the reason he would fall asleep was that he was exhausted from working two very physically demanding jobs to try and give me the best life he possibly could. Even though he was tired, he still made an effort to spend time with me.
"It's a tradition we still keep going 20 years later by going to the movies together every month or two."
Selfless Not Just For His Kids, But For Strangers Too
"My dad worked hard for decades to give us the life we live. He slept three hours each night and worked at a hospital during days and most nights—he went to work if they called him, no matter the time. My dad is my hero."
There's Nothing Like A Father-Daughter Bond
"I could always reach out to him; he never got mad when I screwed up and he calmed me down when I was overwhelmed. When I was at boarding school, he drove 1.5 hours each way to a therapist to help with my mental health problems, but I've always secretly believed that those three hours of conversation with my dad every other week were the real key to my recovery.
"My empathy for others, sense of humor, adventurous nature, 5'10 frame, and handiness are all dad-genes, and those are some of my favorite traits about myself."
He Didn't Care That It Was Harder To Raise A Special Needs Child
"My dad deserves at least the number 100 spot or higher for patiently trying his absolute best to raise me, an autistic boy, even though I'm not actually his biological son."
He Did The Job On His Own
"My dad raised me and my sister by himself after my mother died when I was 7. He woke us up in the morning, prepared our lunch boxes, made us breakfast while thinking about what to cook for dinner, then go to work and earn money for the family. He never complained.
"He made sure my sister and I got all the care we need even after we graduated from college. Even now with his pension, he wants to use his money for us. We are so lucky to have him."
He's A Pal Who's Always Ready To Lend An Ear
"He's my friend. I can laugh with him, I can have a good talk with him, we do things together we like, and he supports me. Even though his father died when my dad was seven and he never had a good connection with his stepdad, he's still an amazing father."
How Incredible!
"My dad is a superhero! He can disappear for months up to years at a time without leaving a trace. He might even have invisibility and teleportation powers as well!"
This Must Have Been Really Hard On Him Personally At Times
"During my entire childhood, my father dedicated the significant majority of the money to my brother and I's primary education. We live in Brazil, where primary public education is not very good, and most of the people who reach university have money and time to prepare for the tests. We lacked money for food and clothes but he always stated: first, the boys' education, and we'll figure the rest out later.
"We had to count on donations for furniture, clothes, and even food sometimes, but both of us were eventually accepted to university. Today, we all have a better life because of his effort."
Memories > Money
"When we were growing up, we were pretty broke and very happy. My dad values quality time, so he would prioritize making memories with us. We would go on bike rides through the neighborhood at night, hike, play hide and seek in the dark, go on tourist nights on the strip (growing up in Las Vegas had its fun moments). He even came to TP our friend's house with us.
"So many of my young memories had his smiling face in them."
He Didn't Even Hesitate
"My dad raised me all alone when my mom dropped me on his doorstep as a baby. He struggled for many years, but I never wanted for anything.
"He taught me how to box, how to play sports, taught me that girls kick butt, stood by my side mistake after mistake, and loved me unconditionally for 30 years. He passed away seven years ago and I miss him every day."
...This Kid Probably Felt Silly For Being Worried
"When I came out, I was afraid of what my dad would say. He's always been a pretty soft-spoken, strong, and capable guy: your stereotypical hetero-masculine dude. I came out to him right before I went to school and practically ran down the street to catch the bus.
"When I got home from school that day, his car was in the driveway—he'd come home early from work. He told me we were going for a drive.
"After we drove in silence for a while, he told me that he loved me and said he was proud of me and the man I was becoming. He was proud of me for being honest about who I am. This actually did make me cry.
"Then we got McDonald's hamburgers and ate them at the park just like when I was little. I have an awesome dad."
Do You Think He Has An Award Plaque For It?
"My dad definitely won the award for instantaneous disappearance."
Some dads are really good at understanding their kids' needs and helping to care for them. Other dads are good at not being there.
This Man Never Had His Phone On Do Not Disturb
"My dad picks up the phone every time I call, no matter what he's doing. Every time, he checks that I am OK: it never bothered him that I’d call during huge board meetings or conferences—he always answered."
This Is Such A Wholesome Response
"When I came out to my dad, I stumbled over my words and stuttered a bit. The first thing he did was ask if I was OK, if I was in trouble, or needed money. I finally managed to say, 'Dad, I’m gay.'
"He said, 'Well, that's no huge deal.'
"About a week later he called me and wanted to talk. Evidently, for the previous few days he had been thinking and freaking out: did he ever say something to offend me? Why did I wait so long to tell him; did I think he’d disown me? And then he said the thing that makes him the best:
"'I just hate to think you’ve had a harder life or will have a harder life because of this.'
"He was concerned about people treating me differently and whether I'd faced discrimination. He was concerned about my safety and mental well-being. He didn’t care that I was gay; he just cared that I was healthy and happy."
Perfection Was Never The Demand
"Mine is pretty OK. He's a pianist, neurotic, and quite eccentric. He fights with everyone at family gatherings while getting drunk, but at least he's funny and always provided for the family. He's like #137,564,900 ranked I'd guess."
He Worked All Night To Mend His Mistake
"When my brother got a really high score on Asteroids, my dad jokingly typed his own name on the record, which, naturally, resulted in my brother in tears. My dad then stayed up into the wee hours of the morning playing Asteroids to beat his score and put my brother's name on it.
"I am extremely lucky to have such a good dad."
Despite His Flaws, He's The Perfect Dad
"He's awesome. He's probably the strongest person I know and has sacrificed A TON to give my mother and me the best possible life. He's human and has his flaws, but character-wise, he really is what I think a family man should be.
"I'm going to go call him now."
