The Things I Learned From My Dad!

For Father's Day, Patch decided it would be fun to ask people what lessons they learned from their dad. Luckily, I was able to find enough people willing to tell me on camera the first things that popped into their heads when I asked that question. 

In East Lyme and Old Lyme, those people were (listed here in order of appearance) Darlene Stevens (who was always good enough to make the Little League team even though she couldn't play for it), Jenna Lussier, Shawn Bresmon (just back from deployment in Bahrain), Chase Sielbeck, Jaiden Taylor, and Old Lyme Police Officers Martin Lane and Dominic Solari.

Thank you all for sharing your stories with me when I ambushed you at random! 

And now, because turnabout is fair play, here are a few things my dad taught me. 

My dad taught me how to tie my shoelaces (rabbit ears) and how to ride a bike (fast!). He taught me how to play blackjack, to hit a bullseye with an air rifle, and a triple 20 with a dart.  

One of the most useful skills he ever taught me was to whistle loud enough to recall a dog from half a mile away. 

My father didn't only teach me practical things. By example, he taught me that some rules were absolute but that others could—and maybe should—be bent or broken. My dad and I have quite different (some would say opposing) political and philosophical viewpoints, but that taught me to stand up for myself and for what I believe in.  

My dad didn't always intend to teach me these things. No doubt, sometimes his aim was to teach me quite the opposite. But that was what I learned.

In many ways, I feel my father taught me how to be a man. And as a woman, that's a very handy thing to know.

What did your dad teach you? Share your stories in the comments!