It is generally believed that Fathers Day got started in Spokane, Wash., when Sonora Smart Dodd got the idea on Mothers Day 1909. The often-lost significance is that Dodds father was a single parent a widower, raising six children on his own.
Single, married, divorced, or widowed, most fathers deserve a day of their own. Heres a local example:
When Brianna, Faith and Forrest Ferguson get up, it is their father who is making breakfast and it is their dad who drives over to school to drop off something they may have forgotten.
Brian Ferguson is a stay-at-home dad. While his wife, Diane, commutes to her job in Stamford, Brian tends to the family. Hes always home for us, said his daughter, Faith, 11. And hes a great cook. He makes bread from scratch. And hes really good at barbecue.
Her 17-year-old sister, Brianna, agreed. Hes a phenomenal cook. Hes got a barbecue thats taller than me.
He makes beef jerky and he can cook a whole pig, said Faith.
And he does everything around the house, said Brianna. Ferguson worked in banking until six years ago. Now hes home with us and I think he enjoys it a lot more.
Hell do anything for us, even if hes angry, said Faith. I feel like if we do something wrong hes okay with it as long as we try harder next time.
Brianna wants to follow in her dads footsteps by studying foreign relations in college. He likes to introduce us to new cultures and generally tries to broaden our horizons.
Ferguson used to live in Japan and speaks Japanese fluently, she said. "His accent is excellent." Then she added, But hes a red-headed Irishman.
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