Dear Readers,

It is easy to become a father. That is biology 101.

It is a lot tougher to be a dad. That takes work — a lot of it. All it takes is most of your time and energy for the rest of your life.

And I will let you in on a little secret: It's worth it.

Real dads come in all shapes and sizes. They work in offices and factories and shipyards and fishing boats. They are doctors, lawyers, scientists, truck drivers, store owners and store clerks, they dig ditches with heavy equipment and hand shovels. Some drive fancy sports cars, while others are proud of their “beater” pickups. Some dads stay at home, others are on the road.

To become a real dad, you have to try to take care of the needs of your family. Whether it is providing a financial cushion, doing the dishes, swabbing out the toilets, uttering a kind word, flashing a knowing smile or passing out a major league hug.

A real dad is a teacher, too. And this involves more than helping to teach your sons and daughters to excel in games and school work. Every day, a dad teaches by example, by pitching in with the daily chores, and by treating family, friends and even total strangers with kindness and respect.

On June 21, our nation will celebrate Father's Day. Truth be known it is a marketing gimmick designed to push merchandise out the door. We are already seeing ads in print, on TV and online designed to set a guilt trip on you for not buying your father some sort of “dad stuff.”

Please, please don't buy your dad a chainsaw, a new set of tools or some golf balls for Father's Day. If he wants a chainsaw, tools or golf balls, he will buy them for himself.

Dads just want the best for their families. And the payoff is the special satisfaction gained when a boy who balked at taking out the trash, or a daughter who seemed to be a bit wild, turn into responsible grownups.

And when everything turns out well, real dads have already gotten the best Father's Day present of all.

As a sort of Father's Day bonus, some dads might get a special present when a little person crawls up in his lap and whispers: “I love you, Grandpa.”

And that might just be the best Father's Day present of all.