From "dad jokes " to "dad jeans," fathers don't always get the credit they deserve. Unfortunately, the bumbling-dad stereotype doesn't take into account the awesome advice many of us have gotten from our fathers. So we decided to ask women to share some of the pearls of wisdom they've learned from their dads.
Some of the women offered sentimental, heartfelt stories about how their dads helped them appreciate their siblings or make the most out of life. Others recounted more practical lessons their dads taught them, like driving pointers or tips for managing money.
Even if it sounds preachy, corny, or over-protective at first, the advice we've gotten from our dads sticks with us. We'll admit we've turned to their wisdom more than once to get through a breakup or conflict at work. And even if we still refuse to laugh at their dumb jokes, we're more than willing to thank them for all of the invaluable advice they've given us.
Ahead, we've rounded up 22 pieces of fatherly advice from appreciative daughters. From here on out, let's call these wise words "dadvice," a term we're really hoping catches on.
"As the baby of the family, I foolishly assumed that the day I left for college would be an emotional one for my dad. We'd just finished moving all my stuff into my dorm and my parents had a five-hour drive back home ahead of them, so it was time to say goodbye.
"'Will you guys miss me?' I asked my dad.
"'No,' he said. 'This is just the thing you do now. Besides, we would've made you leave the house at 18 anyway.'
"Totally unsentimental? Yes. Did 'This is just the thing you do now,' become my go-to pep talk? Also, yes. Thanks for keeping me #grounded, dad."
"I went through a typically dramatic breakup in high school — my dad talked me through my tears a bit, and once I'd calmed down, he looked at me, smiled, and said, 'You know what? Next!'"
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"My dad, when giving me the drug talk, said, 'Look, I did a lot of crazy shit when I was your age...like all the crazy shit. And trust me, it isn't worth it.'"
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"Never commit a misdemeanour while you're committing a felony."
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"My dad has taught me a lot about empathy. He's constantly urging me to see the good in everyone, and is the first to remind me to not judge people too quickly. Though I may be frustrated or annoyed with someone, he's made me realise that everyone goes through different things in life, so as much as a person is accountable for their own actions, their irritating behaviour may be caused by a bigger issue that we have to be more understanding of.
"He also taught me how to make the best martinis!"
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"At every important stage in life, my dad has stopped me and said, 'Okay, life lesson time.' [Here's] one of my favourite life lessons: I was worried about a story a supervisor at my old job wanted me to pursue, that I felt was a pinch unethical. He said, 'Always trust your instincts. You have the best moral compass out of anyone I know. If it feels wrong, then it's wrong.'"
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"My dad was the one who taught me how to respect myself and not take shit from anyone, and I mean anyone. He also stressed the importance of financial independence: 'Take care of yourself — money is real.' Oh, and [he told me] to never get on the back of dudes' motorcycles."
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"My dad always taught my sisters and me that we are all we've got. We should be loyal to each other above all else, and cherish the time we have together. I don't think any of us appreciated it until we stopped living under one roof!"
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"My dad likes to remind me, 'It's not where you start, but where you finish.' He's said it since I was a weird little kid in a small town in Texas dreaming of moving to New York."
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"'The truth is the best lie.' Translation: Face your mistakes head-on and don't get lost telling lies."
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"'There are three kinds of people in this world: those who make things happen, those who sit back and watch things happen, and those who say, 'Wait, what happened?!' Be the person who makes things happen.'"
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"The best advice I've ever received from my dad is, 'You are in charge of your own fun.' Notice the absence of a contraction between 'you' and 'are.' This advice is intended to be as straightforward and as full of conviction as it sounds, but it can be interpreted in so many different ways.
"For example, when we're on family vacations and one of us doesn't want to golf 18 holes for the fifth day in a row, we can comfortably opt out by citing that 'we are in charge of our own fun,' and we can rest assured that all other family members will heartily understand.
"Alternatively, if you find yourself alone in a foreign land and in the throes of an all-out panic attack for unknown reasons, you can soothe your nerves by repeating this very self-affirming mantra: 'I am in charge of my own fun.' The phrase always works, and is implicitly full of love and acceptance, which is just one of the reasons why I'm convinced my dad is a genius."
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"My dad always says, 'Don't let the highs be too high or the lows be too low.' Sometimes I'll call him with really exciting news and want him to share in the excitement and he stays very emotionally even-keeled. Which makes me crazy. But it's so important, because the next day I could call him crying, hating my life, and he reminds me not to get too down because things turn around very quickly. Keeping balance is key, and my dad has instilled that in me."
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"Growing up, I always wanted to spend as much time as possible with my friends; I had major FOMO. My dad would always tell me that it was important to 'leave the party before you stop having fun.'"
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"I was afraid to rock the boat in an unsatisfying but otherwise comfortable situation. He said, 'Life doesn't happen in comfortable equilibrium. Life only moves forward when you're brave enough to throw things one way or another. You can't fear change. Whether change is good or bad, it's change that makes your life a life that you are living. '"
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"'Always carry cash in case your car breaks down or you need to ditch a guy and find a cab.'"
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"'No one blames you for expecting nothing less than what you desire. This is not selfish; it is a means towards your long-term success and happiness.'"
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"My dad did voiceovers for a living, despite a few offers to do on-camera stuff. He said, 'You should never take a job where they care too much about how you look.' In voiceover, you can wear jeans and sweats 24/7, because all anybody cares about is a job well done."
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"'We don't hate people; we hate vegetables. When you hate someone, you are saying you want them to be dead. It's okay to want peas to be dead.'"
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"'Love is not something that you get or give — it's a place to be.'"
Illustrated by Aimee Sy.
"In response to me lamenting about continually having to be the bigger person in situations and stepping up in my relationships: 'It's like taking a shit. No one else can do it for you. Sometimes it hurts, sometimes it's uncomfortable, and sometimes you have to do it a lot more than you want to, but it's necessary to clean things out. And in the end, you always feel better afterward. And if you don't engage with this process, you get constipated. You get even more uncomfortable, and eventually you die.'
"I, of course, burst into laughter at this point, as did he, mostly because he was right. In between chuckles, he left me with this final piece of advice: 'So...well, eat your prunes and stay regular.'"
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