More information about

Dad's Day Off

MAIN POINT
There's a story of a father and his son's separate diary entries from a day long ago they spent fishing together. The father wrote, "wasted day." The son wrote, "the best day of my life." Like the father in this sketch, most dads mean well. But they can get so caught up in the everyday that their yearning for a bit of "me" time conflicts with their kids' needs for parental attention. Fathers can forget what it's like to be a child and the value of "hanging out with dad." While this sketch can promote "family first," it also opens the topic of how to handle misunderstandings between generations, and the idea of keeping a healthy balance in family and personal time.

CHARACTERIZATION
Dad is a good father and a hard worker. He loves his son but also craves some time for himself. 

Mom is a sensitive person who understands both the meaning of the fishing trip for Chris, and the dilemma her husband now faces. 

Chris is an enthusiastic boy of grade-school age.

DIRECTOR'S NOTES
While the part of Chris is written for a boy throughout, a girl could play it equally as well. When Chris grabs his fishing pole and exits, a door prop will allow for Chris to be seen throughout the rest of the sketch. If he is seen, his actions — from pretending to fish and "reel in the big one" to pacing and finally resting his head in his hands — should reflect his growing impatience to get going on the outing. But be careful that his actions do not distract attention from the dialogue between Mom and Dad.

RELATED SCRIPTURES
In Ephesians 6, Paul tells fathers not to exasperate their children, "instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord," but in the same passage, he also tells children to honor their parents. In Proverbs 22:6, parents are advised, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Deuteronomy 6:1-9 gives further instruction about parental responsibilities. Matthew 6:25-34 suggests something about our use of time.

RELATED THEMES
This sketch addresses a host of topics, such as family, priorities, making and keeping promises, communicating clearly, handling misunderstanding, security, faithfulness, character, integrity, commitment, heritage and legacy.