God made a wise decision when He decided females would serve as mothers. Men generally just can’t do mommy things as well as mommies. Of course, the flip side of this is true. God wisely appointed males to the role of father. Over the centuries, men have made plenty of mistakes, as we continue to do today, but we’re still the best choice for the role of daddy.

Think about it. Who gives the best “horsey-back” rides, dads or moms? Dads generally aren’t afraid to get down on the floor and wrestle and serve as a beast of burden. In fact, men often show some of the best attributes of fatherhood when they take time to play with their kids.

Dads are better, also, with sandbox stuff. Dads enjoy building a sandbox or converting a farm tractor tire into the same and they have fun filling it with sand. Mommies turn up their noses when they realize the neighborhood cats have used the sandbox as a latrine, but dads dig in without hesitation. Besides, his children and their sandbox give Dad an excuse to play with those cool trucks and tractors which weren’t on the market when he was a boy.

When it comes to things like fishing, dads often do a better job than moms. Dads take great pride in looking for the biggest, juiciest worm and then slowly slide it on the hook with a macho flair. Mom’s gagging while baiting a hook detracts from the fun of fishing.

Dads tell fairy tales better than moms. Moms do OK on Goldilocks, Mama Bear and Baby Bear, but Dad can give Papa Bear fur, claws and teeth as long and as sharp as the imagination will allow. When it comes to telling the classic Little Red Riding Hood, a daddy is essential to portraying the Big Bad Wolf as the vicious monstrosity he really was.

Dads are great at taking kids to a movie. In fact, I considered the opportunity to accompany my son to movies like “Star Wars” as a fringe benefit of fatherhood.

While Mommy’s kisses can make an “owie” go away, it is Dad’s bravado which can make a scab a badge of honor. You’ll seldom hear a father call a scab disgusting. “That’s a humdinger,” Dad will brag while Mom worries about permanent scarring.

Fathers can do a better job of consoling a daughter’s disappointments because they don’t understand women, young or old. Because of this blissful ignorance a daddy can more readily dispel his daughter’s anguish. Dads can’t even begin to fathom how a disapproving glance from a teacher or an unkind word from a friend can bring tears, so he simply hugs without judging and assures his little girl that Daddy loves her and the sun will indeed come up tomorrow.

Fathers can outdo mothers when it comes to automobiles. When Junior or Sis start looking for a car of their own, Dad’s involvement is important because he still thinks it was only yesterday when he got his own first wheels. While Mom focuses on economy and safety, it is Dad who understands that color, style, sound system and engine size truly are important.

Women, some men will concede, seem to fulfill their parental roles with a little more ease than men. I think we men sometimes struggle with our role as father because in some ways we’re still boys at heart. We don’t always see problems in the same context as mothers. Perhaps that’s good; maybe it’s a balance to a mother’s constant concern.

Over the years, many women have also had to be their children’s fathers and men their children’s mothers. Many have served admirably in both roles. Our society’s definition of family has changed in recent decades.

It should come as no surprise, however, that sociologists and psychiatrists continue to understand the critical importance of fathers to children’s success in virtually all areas of life. Men, while we fret over all the things our children need, the bottom line is that our kids need us most of all. “Your children” the late Jesse Jackson said some years ago, “need your presence more than your presents.” I think that’s what God had in mind when he assigned fatherhood to men so many years ago.

Arvid Huisman can be contacted at huismaniowa@gmail.com. ©2026 by Huisman Communications.