Father’s Day is coming up again, and no, I don’t really think you Dads (or Granddads) will get the cool sanding supplies you really want. Your gift will likely be another tie or bathrobe, which is cool; it’s the thought that counts. But this makes me wonder why Dads are hard to find gifts for. It’s not really about money; I know I financed most of the Fathers Day gifts I received as my kids were growing up. It must be more than that.

Honestly, I wouldn’t turn my nose up at getting a DEROS Dust Free Sanding System this year, or even something smaller like a hand sanding block, but I think the problem my children always had in selecting a shop-related gift for me is deeper than that. As someone who makes money with my tools, I’m pretty particular about them, so it’s difficult for my family to know which tools I will actually use. My reasons for buying sanding discs from 2Sand rather than at a box store are not easy to understand if you don’t rely on your tools as I do.

When my kids were young, I had a “special” toolbox that contained many of the tools I got as gifts, which were appreciated for the thought, but maybe not really usable in my trade. They were stored in the toolbox and reserved for when nieces, nephews, my kids or their friends want to “help out” in my shop. This kept everyone happy, at least until everyone got old enough to understand what was really going on.

Maybe, in general, it is hard for children to select a gift because parents provide most everything for them. What do you get for the people who give you everything they can? This may be why spending time with Dad on Father’s Day (and Mom on Mother’s Day) is so popular. Time cannot be bought, and great memories never fully fade or break as the years pass. Some of my favorite Dad memories are set in my home shop, making things with my kids.

So, if you are a Dad, or have a Dad, or have someone you think of as a ‘Dad’, spend a little time with your family whenever you can, not just on holidays. It can be the best gift you will ever give or receive.