Every kid needs a dad! Sadly, not every kid has a dad. Mom’s or Uncles, or Grand Dads need to step up. Dads don’t have to be Bio Dads. They can be Mentors, teachers, friends, or buddies. Kids that grew up with great Dad’s understand what I am saying. These Dad’s seek out “Dadless” kids and try to fill in the gaps.
Dads are the ones that show kids the trailheads of life. They show kids how to fish, hunt, toss a ball, and survive. Dad’s teach kids how to follow an honest path and make good choices. Dads are guides. 
Nothing teaches a kid more than a Big Fat Mistake. It is at this moment when a dad is essential. As a Boy Scout, my troop was a place where it was ok for a kid to make a mistake. Other dads were available to make the lesson sink in. These other dads were also in the same boat. We all appreciated every dad helping every kid. Another dad’s example may have been better than my dad’s. It takes a village of Dads.
Being the best Dad does not mean you need to be their dad. You could be a woman, or just someone that cares. It is more about the role than the title. My Aunt Francie was a great Dad. She showed me how to pick berries, garden, look for arrowheads, fish, and enjoy the outdoors. I never remember her yelling at me. If I screwed up, she often laughed and then showed me how to improve.
As an educator, I have proudly been a dad for many kids. Every kid was no more or no less important. Many kids accepted my kids as family. We all just had fun, learned, and got along. In many cultures and Native tribes, fatherless kids were adopted and shown the right path. Other parents, friends, and Dads were always on board.
Great Dads and mentors must give up their fishing or hunting time. They set their students up for success and show them the proper path through the process. “Give someone a fish and they will eat once, show them how to fish and they will always eat.” Being unselfish is not everyone’s best skill. This to must be taught and learned. The reward far outweighs the risk.
Dads are great at teaching others how to fish. They are needed most not when a fish is caught, but when a fish is lost. If they took a kid hunting and the kid missed the shot, Dad’s importance was most needed at that moment. Dads show how to take the next step. A lost fish, a missed buck, a broken promise, a poor choice, or a bad mistake was the moment when truth was needed. A few kind words, some positive advice, maybe even a kick in the ass, meant that there was hope.
Dadication is when this moment arrives.
Montana Grant
