This Father’s Day, I suggest adding something to the equation:
The very best gift you can give as a Father to your children, whether they are born yet or not, is the healthiest and happiest version of yourself. Your 
personal care is a message to the world and especially to your children.
It tells them that you are able to take care of the most important thing you will ever have to manage:
your own body.
Dads! Take charge of your life. Make self-care a daily part of your practice.
One super great commitment is to go outside everyday and get some sun on your face, some fresh air in your lungs, the heart beating and a smile of gratitude and of course some wind on your toes…or better, some NO SHOE time on Mother Earth.
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Now you don’t have to take my word on this topic. I got the idea from a very interesting American author who spent the last 20 years of his life as my next door neighbor although he died in 1940 and I did not know he had been my neighbor until I was already moving away, but that’s another story.
His name was J. William Lloyd and his last 20 years of living were spent on “Freedom Hill” in Sunland, California. Back in the 1890s he was already writing health articles trying to help people overcome the debilitating effects of a life of too much ease and too much food. He was witnessing the first big spurt of overweight unhappy urban dwellers in the prosperous East Coast cities. His call was to head back to nature. Regain your most fundamental human skills and ENJOY being a human again. That was essential to being a fit and happy human.
What he discovered and wrote about in the 1890s was the importance and value and benefit that can come by adding a little RUNNING to each day. Not a lot. Just enough. And he went about living his philosophy for the rest of his life and wrote clear thoughts and published books until his dying day. A real example.
In my research, I gained access to a wonderful unpublished manuscript of Lloyd’s. He was 
putting together a book on running and had serialized the chapters as magazine articles. Some of the articles were published, but many were not. The manuscript itself is currently part of the J. William Lloyd collection at the Mises Institute in Alabama and was discovered by a rare book collector friend in 2010.
One unpublished article was titled: The Test of Parent Power - this title caught my eye and led to my “Fit Father” focus idea in this blog.
He came to the conclusion that the very best advice to give a couple seeking to become pregnant was to first be sure they had done all they can to verify their own “Parent Power”. 
His formula was simple. Basically learn to run a ½ mile together everyday for 30 days in a row. He created a training plan to encourage the happy couple. In Lloyd's mind 30 days running the ½ mile together was a certain sign of parents ready to bring a new life into the world.
I think it is a great idea and a good test and I stand by my pledge to always suggest to those wanting to be parents and to those who are parents and to all the many more who play the role 
as parents to all of us. Firstly, thank you for that wonderful work! And secondly, let’s all re-double our efforts to make ourselves shine the best we can through daily self care and regular reminders of what is truly the most precious thing we manage: our own selves.
Everyone is watching. Show us how to do it Papa!
Best Regards, BFT
PS. Let me know if you are interested in learning more.
Rick Bosshart, MD
April 20, 2023
Ted,
Great article. As a physician who has tried to practice what he preaches, I have been a runner all of my life with multiple marathons, triathlons, one full Ironman, and the Dopey Challenge among my prized accomplishments. I will celebrate my 70th birthday in October with a 50K trail run with my son-in-law. For the past seven years I have run only in Luna sandals. In fact, my only footwear day in, day out is my Luna Monos, including when seeing patients. I get compliments on them weekly. In over forty years in medicine I have seen huge advances in technology and the science of medicine. Ironically, this has been accompanied by opposing huge degradation in the general health of my patients. Most are obese, sedentary, and rely on medications and latest medical advances to remain functional and, in many cases, simply alive. We are a culture addicted to comfort. Fortunately, my childrenl, all grown with children of their own, all took my example to heart and all are active, including their spouses. I enjoyed the article and wish you continue success with Luna sandals. I want to be able to purchase replacements as needed at least until I pass on! Happy Father’s Day.