Any day is a good day to talk with your dad about his life, but what better occasion than Father’s Day to strike up a conversation with your old man? Whether you have the privilege of being with your dad on Father’s Day, or will be making a phone or video call, there’s plenty to learn about your dad and his life. I’d bet as you learn more about your dad, you’ll find he’s a pretty interest and complex guy – you may even find out a little more about yourself.
I polled the Reno Dads team about what questions they’d ask their dads. Some of our team lost their dads when they were younger. For me, this underscores the value of having this conversation before the opportunity is beyond recall. There are many reasons why we may not have had a deeper conversation with our father – from being too busy to having a relationship that doesn’t make it feel easy. But, one day any of these reasons will simply transition to regrets. So, get your dad’s ear today, and ask him some questions about his life. Here’s a list of ideas to get you going…
- What experience taught you the most about life?
- Can you tell me about your parents and grandparents?
- What does our family consider to be our family of origin?
- What brought our family to this country? What brought our family here?
- What do you consider to be your biggest professional accomplishment?
- What was your proudest moment as a father?
- What was your hardest moment as a father?
- What was your favorite thing to do with me?
- What was your greatest fear in life?
- What were you most proud of in life?
- What or who made you laugh the most?
- Where or when did you feel the most alive?
- Who inspired you?
- What would make you really angry?
- How did you like to unwind when you were my age?
- Where was your favorite place to go to think, relax, or be at peace?
- What did you regret the most?
- What lessons did you learn from your own father?
- What lessons did you hope to pass on to me?
- What world event has the greatest impact on you?
- What memories do you have about the houses you grew up in?
- How are you the most like your dad? How are you the most different?
- What were some of your favorite family traditions growing up?
- Can you tell me a story about your life I’ve never heard?
- What does this world need more / less of right now?
- What do you hope to accomplish in this life?