Adult children can change their own oil, negotiate a salary, raise children, and assemble furniture without calling for backup. Yet even independent adults still need something from their dads. The challenge for fathers is knowing how to offer support without treating a 35-year-old like someone who forgot to bring a permission slip home.
Fatherhood changes as children grow. Directing gives way to advising, daily supervision disappears, and conversations become more like exchanges between adults. A dad who adapts can remain a trusted presence without hovering over every decision. .
