You can get your father an extra special gift that he can really enjoy by simply digging a little into a combination of his interest, history, your relationship with him and his basic needs. Here are some guidelines or questions you may want to ask yourself.

What things hold a special place for both of you to remember? Find a gift that celebrates something you shared or wish you could have shared.

It's not too late to go to that football match together or explore a passion he tried to teach you as a child and you just weren't interested at the time. Revisit those areas; delve into those memories with him. Find out or try to remember what his dreams were when he was a young man. Figure out a gift related to those early dreams, unachieved or achieved. Acknowledge that you know him well and that you want to share in his dreams.

Outlook Youth recommends that sons and daughters avoid showing off gifts. Occasionally, an offspring may want to 'show off' by giving an awfully profligate gift to his/her father.

When the gift is an item which Father has wanted his whole life , it can be given with genuine love.

Large gifts of this type are good to give as a family group gift so everyone feels part of this special offering.

Information sources:
www.perfectpickers.com
www.allfathersdaygifts.com

FATHER'S DAY can be an uncomfortable time if you are divorced or separated from your child's other parent. At this time, questions may swirl in your mind about how to handle your child and your own feelings about giving a gift.

Some questions that you may consider are: Should I help him/her to pick a gift for his father on this occasion? Should I have him/her give a gift, even if you've never received one on your special occasions? What if it is not appreciated? What is an appropriate gift? What kind of signal does it send, and how will it be interpreted?

Here are some guidelines and suggestions on gift giving:

If the child is under five years old, it will be up to one parent to help the childpurchase or make a gift for the other parent. Keep it simple, a card with the child's handprint and a poem, or a small picture frame with the child's picture in it, or other personal, but not elaborate idea.

If your older child wants to give a gift to their other parent, then by all means allow and encourage them to give an appropriate gift. If they need help selecting the gift, your help will show them that you support their relationship with their other parent.

If the parents' relationship is civil, then the question is more likely to be what kind of gift to give, rather than whether to provide a gift at all. Here, it is best to give a gift from their child's heart. One could encourage the making of a gift, or if they have their own money saved and wants to use it to buy a gift, allow them the opportunity.

If the relationship between the parents is strained to impossible, the gut reaction is often to deny the other parent any pleasure whatsoever, especially if the child has been hurt emotionally or treated uncaringly by this parent. In cases like this, consider whether the decision will have a negative impact on the child and the relationship with father, as well as expression of a continuing relationship.

If they are close, or even if the other parent is not present in the child's life on a regular basis, but they maintain an interest in your child, nurturing positive development is always a good thing.

But if they are indifferent, absent, inattentive, unreliable, or otherwise apt to reject the child's attention, then there almost certainly isn't much of a dilemma about giving a gift. Protect your child's feelings, but if they insist on sending a gift or card, allow them the chance to mend whatever relationship exists, but cushion possible hurt feelings by letting them know they may not get a response.

If you simply don't know what todo or you don't want to be misunderstood, or judged wrongly, then ask yourself what you would like the other parent to do in the same place. It's important to do what feels right for your child and most comfortable to you. It may be best in some cases to do nothing.

These occasions are intended as a time for parent and child to share and express their special feelings for one another. Positive efforts to foster the relationships are always in the best interest of the child.