A lot of our first mentors and heroes are our dads. Without them, we wouldn’t be the people we are today, and we definitely wouldn’t know how to change a tyre or hang up a curtain pole! But what makes a good dad?
When we think about our dads, certain “dadisms” come to mind – the dad qualities that turn an ordinary person into a super dad that will always fly in and save the day. In this blog, we want to cover the top qualities of a good dad, from being patient with us as we learn to tie our shoelaces, to showing kindness when we bump our knees and cry the house down.
We will even be sharing some insights from our amazing dad creators over at That Little Map Shop, Daniel Benney and Tom, to hear their thoughts on what being a dad means to them.
If you’re looking for the perfect way to let your dad know how loved he is, why not take a look at our fantastic range of Father’s Day cards? You can take a peek at some examples below and see if any of them catch your eye:
And if you need some inspiration on Father’s Day messages to write in your dad’s card, we have a handy guide full of sweet and silly ideas!
1. The best dads are patient
God knows how patient our dads need to be to deal with energetic toddlers and angsty teens. But the best dads turn that patience into lessons and teach us how to navigate the world with thought and care. It can be something as simple as going over the same homework question for the third time or staying calm in the eye of the storm that is growing up.
This patience teaches us all that mistakes are okay, and learning takes time. Without our dad’s patience, we would never learn the confidence and trust to make those mistakes, and having someone who won’t give up on us when times get tough is a true gift.
One of our creators, Dan, had this to say about juggling being a dad and creating wonderful greeting cards: “It’s a struggle. I have to be militant with my spare time. When you’re a new parent, ‘creative time’ drops to almost zero. But the great thing about greeting cards is you can chip away at a card design with the TV on and it can be quite relaxing.”
2. Amazing dads are kind
Our dads show kindness through the smallest things: picking us up from school, kissing an ouchie, letting us take a ride on his back on those summer family walks. These small acts teach us how to treat others with care and compassion, and having a loving, kind father is one of the most special things that stays with us wherever we go.
Kindness can come in many different forms as well. A dad that is kind to themselves, will ultimately be kinder to their family. It’s okay to make mistakes; it’s okay to fall. But as long as you get back up and spread that kindness in every part of your life, then you have the makings of being a brilliant dad!
Speaking of brilliant dads, we asked Tom what the most rewarding aspect of being both a dad and creator is. He told us, “Positive customer feedback is definitely the most rewarding aspect of being a creator. Seeing people engage with my art and purchasing my designs always brings a smile to my face. And being able to provide for my family through my side hustle just makes it all the more worthwhile.”
We asked Dan the same thing, to get his take on being a fabulous card creator by day, and a super dad at every other time! He said, “I get to spend loads of time with my kids. I also get to come up with silly ideas and make a little bit of extra money. I can be a hands-on Dad who’s fully present in my children’s lives, but I also have a focused outlet for my creativity. Plus, it’s given me confidence to be more entrepreneurial.”
3. Great dads are always present
A present dad makes time for their family even amid everyday chaos. This might be one of the hardest qualities to maintain, as we can all be a bit selfish sometimes! But when our dads make time for us, whether that is simply watching a funny film with us before bedtime, or sitting front row at our ballet show that seems to drag on forever, then they’re letting us know they’re eager to be there through every milestone.
Being a full-time creative and present dad is no easy task. But often, our family can inspire our next designs and fuel the creative process. We asked our super dads, Dan and Tom, if their children have ever inspired specific designs or messages in their cards. Dan had this to say: “Not yet, but my nephews have. I’ve made an “8th Birthday – facts about the number 8” card because one of them had a birthday coming up. I wanted him to have something fun but educational too so I created that card.”
Tom also had an experience that influenced one of his cards. He told us, “My ‘Mappy Birthday’ card was actually my son’s idea. Knowing how much I love maps, he thought it was funny on my birthday to wish me a ‘Mappy Birthday’….later that night a new greeting card design was born!”
Sometimes, it’s the questions our kids ask us that inspire a new idea. Check out our guide on questions to ask our dads, and learn things that may inspire creativity but also lets them know you’re thinking about their past and their experiences. We’re sure they’d appreciate it.
4. Caring dads are creative
We all have those amazing stories our dads told us before they turned off the bedroom light, or those silly games we played until our tummies hurt from laughing. A creative dad is a caring dad, as they’ve taken the time to create amazing worlds to stretch our imagination, or given us creative solutions to problems we may have never even thought about! Not only this, but it encourages us to think freely and learn that it’s okay to be ourselves, which is a lesson that is worth its weight in gold.
Dan and Tom know everything there is to know about combining creativity with fatherhood. So, we also took some time to dig deeper into their creative influences:
Dan told us, “My kids have unlocked shows like Bluey and the Nick Cope Popcast. A lot of them are beautifully drawn and animated and inspire me to pick up a pen and doodle.”
Tom said, “I always enjoyed finding the right card for my dad whenever Father’s Day came around. Something that matched his interests and sense of humour. Now that I’m a dad myself, I can better appreciate what needs to go into a good card design and what will appeal to people. So, I’ve tried to combine that understanding with my passion for maps to come up with a suitable range of map-themed greeting cards.”
5. The greatest dads are resilient
Now we have come to the final pillar of fatherhood: resilience. We’re sure every dad out there could tell you that never giving up is one of the hardest parts about being a dad. As even when times get hard and it all gets too much, they put on a brave face and keep smiling. Seeing our dads keep marching on despite the hardships – some we may not even know about – lets us know that it’s okay to struggle, but what matters is that you keep trying.
To be a full-time creative and a full-time dad takes all the resilience in the world! So, to find out more, we asked Tom and Dan to walk us through their creative process for designing a greeting card:
Tom said, “The main theme running through all my designs is mapping. With that in mind, I go away and research what is already out there of a similar nature. In many cases, what seems like a unique idea has actually already been thought of by multiple other card makers. So, I try to find those gaps in the market where my designs can bring something new to the party. I then put pen to paper (or Apple Pencil to iPad) and get doodling. Some designs come quickly; others take a few attempts before I’m happy. But no design gets signed off without first having been approved by my wife!”
Dan had a different approach to designing cards. He said, “I keep card ideas in the notes app on my phone. When one idea pops up more than once, I think the idea must have legs. Then I do some quick rough concepts and share them with friends to see if they resonate. Next, I work up final versions in Adobe Fresco on the iPad, finish them off in InDesign, then upload.”
We also asked what advice they had for other dads who create cards. Dan said, “When you get to the end of a busy day, it can be hard to keep momentum. Keep a “To Do” list with very focused actions on it. Then, in those tiny, rare moments of free time, you can open it up and be laser focused with what you need to work on”, with Tom adding, “Keep creating and have fun with it!”
So ultimately, what makes an amazing dad?
Being creative, resilient, kind, present, and patient is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our dads, and we hope our guide gave you a tiny glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes, and what our dads do to make sure we have the best role model possible.
Father’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate all the dads in our life – we get to show them our appreciation and express our love. But what are the origins of this special day? Check out our guide on the history of Father’s Day if you want to find out!
When the big day comes, don’t forget to pick up one of our wonderful Father’s Day cards, some of which may have been designed by our creative dads Tom and Dan! It’s the greatest way to create the perfect day filled with laughs and love for your old man.
Finally, explore these things to do on Father’s Day with dad to make sure you plan a day as perfect as your old man.
