As we wrapped up Father’s Day, I’ve been thinking about what makes my husband a great dad.   There are some fundamental differences in approach between my husband and myself, but I’ve recognized that these quirks are ultimately what make my husband a wonderful father.  If Men are From Mars and Women are From Venus, here’s what my Alien husband has taught me:

Playtime

Me: “Let’s see how many balls we can throw into the basket!”  Kids smile in anticipation.

My husband: “Let’s make YOU the ball and see how many times I can DUNK you into the basket…UPSIDE-DOWN!”  Kids jump up and down excitedly, insisting, “ME FIRST, DADDY!”

I used to worry that my husband was rough-housing with the kids too much.  Whereas I’d prefer sandcastles and tea parties… he’d add dunking or toddler-bodysurfing into the mix.  As a panicky new mom, I would envision the worst.  But now after hearing the non-stop giggling and begging for “One more time, Daddy!” I realized that we both bring different strengths to the parenting table. And that one mom’s version of a potential ER visit, is her kid’s version of the ultimate adventure.

Bedtime a.k.a. “Stresstime”

For me, every night used to be a race against time to get the kids in bed by 7:45pm. I would march them down the hallway with the strictness of a drill sergeant and any veering from my routine would really annoy me.  After all, it’s only after the kids are in bed that I finally get time to myself.  I used various tactics to get them into bed sooner including ( I’m ashamed to admit) secretly skipping pages in the storybooks we read, hoping that they wouldn’t notice that Cinderella went from being a girl without a dress to marrying the Prince in roughly 60 seconds.

My husband, on the other hand, looks forward to the bedtime routine, fills it with tooth-brushing games and fun reading tutorials.   Bedtime with him is not a struggle (or at least, less often) and I truly credit him with building our kids’ reading skills.

I once asked him why it seemed so much easier for him to get the kids in bed versus me. He suggested, “Why don’t you just give yourself an extra 10 minutes to get them into bed?  10 minutes really won’t make a big difference in the scheme of the evening and you may find that you enjoy the kids more.”

So, this drill sergeant gave it a try and realized that when I slowed down and didn’t make a mad dash for ‘lights out,’ bedtime really did become more fun.  So now, bedtime is 8pm, we all giggle a little more and yes, I read all the storybook pages.

Comfort Zones

I used to bring my kids to activities that reflected my comfort zone.  I grew up in a musical family and so naturally, I took my kids to sing-a-longs at the library and other musical activities.  There, I knew how to talk to them about what they were hearing and how to educate them about music.

My husband, on the other hand, grew up in a household where sports were not a priority.  Yet every weekend, he brings the kids to the community basketball court, and teaches them how to dunk, dribble and pass (albeit toddler-style).  He often comes home laughing that he’s the World’s Worst Basketball player but still, every week, heads to the courts and the kids think he’s the next Kobe Bryant.  My husband doesn’t just stick with what he knows or is successful at.  He forces himself to branch out so that our kids get exposed to a variety of things—even things he’s not good at.  As our kids grow older, I know our kids will see this as a life lesson in itself.

In honor of Father's day and in celebration of the quirky things our partners do that make them great, my friend, Amanda (of the Green Room blog) and I are giving away copies of a DVD boxed set of the Mad Men- Season 4.  Next time you want to criticize the hubs, think about Don Draper. Can you imagine him cleaning blueberries off car seats or doing puppet shows with stuffed bears?  I think not.

Tell us something great about your spouse or partner in the comments field by midnight Pacific Time on June 22, 2011 and you'll be automatically entered to win the Mad Men boxed set!  The winners will be selected randomly and there is NO PURCH. NEC. US/DC, 18+. Rules.  To double your chances or winning, head over to The Green Room, and add a comment to her blog too.   Amanda will also be selecting a winner this week!