Take our Gratitude Test

Find a therapist near me

Gratitude may boost happiness, connection, and emotional well-being.

Father’s Day helps children practice empathy and appreciation.

Thanking Dad can strengthen the whole family relationship.

Searching for that perfect present for Father’s Day? A tie? A new set of golf clubs? Tickets to a baseball game? These are some of the many stereotypical Father’s Day gifts we all may be scrambling to purchase this week. But is that what Dad really wants or what will make him happy?

Maybe not. Science has demonstrated that we are happiest when we feel valued and loved, something that makes sense given that, as social beings, we thrive in connection. Humans, male and female, have a core drive to love and be loved.

This idea goes beyond the notion that money can’t buy you love—rather, it’s that money can’t show love. What fathers really want on their dedicated day is to be shown love and appreciation. This special present requires we look no further than our hearts and our words.

Gratitude is as good for us to give as it is good for Dad to receive, and it can be as simple as saying, “thank you.”

Gratitude works its magic in myriad ways we are only starting to understand. Here are a few ways that........

© Psychology Today