When I say “Dad Hobby” what do you think of? Be honest, you’re probably thinking of the little old man and his model trains or the neighbor barbecuing on his back patio.
There’s no shame in these hobbies, and we’re guessing that your dad does them blatantly. For the mythical creature known as “dad” knows that he has cemented his place in the world with his “dad” brethren. And in our day, Dads are unfortunately doomed to embarrass us no matter where we go.
Thus, you will see massive trucks with boats hooked up to the back effortlessly squeezing through the Starbucks driveway to get an Iced Caramel Macchiato on the way back from a fishing trip. And fathers amassed in the baseball stadium stands, prepared to hoot and holler till their lungs give out.
The question is, why do dads have such stereotypical hobbies- and why are they so enamored with them?
If you’re like me and either A. Gen-Z or B. Know someone who is Gen-Z you might hear someone’s favorite activity be referred to as a “hyperfixation”
“What is a ‘Hyperfixation’?”
Many of our recipients referred to their dad’s hobbies as a “hyperfixation”.
A hyperfixation is something usually associated with ADHD, Autism, or other symptoms of neurodivergency and generally means an intense focus on a specific activity, hobby, or interest. This is essentially the same idea of reaching “flow state” and focusing upon a task. A comfortable activity where the hours just fly and you don’t know where all your time went.
Nowadays, “Hyperfixation” has become a term more associated with when someone has their one big thing. For example, on Tiktok, there’s a mom whose 5-year old son is obsessed with Jimmy Carter (and she has no idea why).
So when we use “hyperfixation” know that it isn’t meant to be an insult. Think of it as a special interest when our participants use it.
Into the Dad Hobbies
Thus, we segue into Dad hobbies.
Dad hobbies are… Dad hobbies! You can often put dads into specific stereotypes, think: the dad that likes music, the dad that likes football, the doomsday prepper dad, etc, etc. Don’t read too much into it. This stereotype is only essential during gift-giving seasons (until you run out of gifts to give).
These ‘dad’ hobbies, often random and (un)usually odd, create a very specific image of “dads”. What is dad without his recliner? What is the fishing dad without his rod?
Of the stereotypical ‘Dad’ hobbies we have staples such as golf, fishing, and board games. Alongside boating, working on old cars, watching football, and video games.
You may notice a common thread with a majority of these: They are generally handy (in some way/shape/form), usually outdoors, and can be done solo.
Unfortunately, there is very little research into why Dads choose such… peculiar hobbies. I suspect this is because all the researchers are old men themselves and like any sane person, would not call attention to their peculiar activities. But I digress.
Of the dad hobbies a major feature was sports… and the television.
Dads and Sports
NPR said that Dads are more emotionally remote than moms… except when they’re watching sports and that this is an opportunity that most kids take. As my mom would say, ‘Monkey see, Monkey do’- a kid will see their dad watching the tv, jumping with glee and too, wish to join in on the mayhem. Thus, the sports-bond is born. Thanks NPR!
Sports give dads a way to bond with their kid. Some people even believe they help make parenting easier. Through something as simple as playing catch the early divide between dad and kid can begin to lessen.
Outside of the television many dads sign their kids up for sports seeking to bond over it. Assisted by nostalgia of their own little-league days, dads can jump straightforward into supporting and even coaching their kids pint-sized sports shenanigans.
Of course, this can have its pitfalls, an overzealous dad can put a premature end to the “dad & kid loving sports” duo, but the fact remains. Sports provide a means to bonding with your old man. And as we move into adolescence, sports can be a thread that connects a father and his kids, especially father-son relationships. Through sports Dads can pass on their own knowledge and share life-lessons with their children.
Ah, who am I kidding, your old man parks himself in his recliner every year for the Super Bowl and chaos ensues. In addition to sports tantrums, here are some silly things reported by Harrison students that make your dad a “dad.”
“What makes a Dad?”
Among our recipients there were some critical factors they associated with the stereotypical ‘dad.’
First and foremost, we learned that Baldness is not a universal trait for dads; in fact, more responders said that their dad was not bald. Although a decent chunk said “no, but it is approaching.”
We also learned that a decent chunk of Harrison dads could sleep through an atomic bomb. In fact, a majority of Harrison dads could sleep through an atomic bomb.
Not a SINGLE responder said their dad did not fall asleep watching television.
And finally, a majority of students said their dad was ‘moderately’ technologically advanced. Coming in at an average ranking of “4” out of 5, with 5 for “can use a computer efficiently” and 1 for “somehow deploys nukes computer scrolling on Facebook”.
Of course, these stereotypes don’t make a dad… but they are often found in dads.
Submitted “Dad Lore”
From our responders we received a wide variety of “Dad Lore” encompassing stories told during a four hour drive and stories your grandmother cackles too in at the dinner table.
I will go first (sorry dad!): During the summertime me, my little sister, my mom, and my dad went up to Canada to go to the French River. On the second to last day, my dad was out fishing long after the sun went down in his motor boat. His phone wasn’t properly put away, and on his way back, it flew out of where he had stored it and hit him in the head! After molly-walloping him, the phone soared away into the French River, never to be seen again. He only noticed it was gone after his Bluetooth cut out–what did he think hit him in the head? A fish?
Likewise, my dad also has injured BOTH OF HIS THUMBS with a table saw. The first time was when I was about a year old and the second-time was more recently, in mid-April. So he really evened out the playing field, because what goes best with a scar is a matching scar!
Okay, okay, enough about my dad. Here’s some other kids submitted “dad lore”:
Uhm… Excuse me? Did he win, though? Σ(°ロ°)
… Watch out for Alexander’s dad, guys!
And finally…
All in all, we received some pretty wild dad lore- whether it be cutting boards going airborne or something as mundane as the rainbow bridge, our dad’s had some stories to tell.
My favorite, of all of these responses, is undoubtedly, “my dad got banned from Reddit for a month” (I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HE DID!).
It is undeniable that dads (especially OUR dads) have done some pretty crazy things in all their years. Now, lets see some pictures of our local dad’s acting like absolute hooligans having fun!
Carousel of Dad’s
Finally we get to the best part of the article- seeing local dads and their hobbies!
Conclusion
So why do dads have such random hobbies?
To be quite frank, when you have a kid you can’t do all the same things you used to. If you have a baby and have to work to provide for said baby you probably don’t have as much time to spare as you used to.
Hobbies give you some time to yourself. And the mundane, banal nature of certain activities- bugs or building models allow for dads to get some “me” time. Maintaining the boat and mowing the lawn gives a moment away from their usual work. While other hobbies can provide extra income.
Hobbies are important for everyone, they provide an outlet for stress and a way to connect with others. As we age, they become even more important, helping us to feel more fulfilled and often healthier. We assign value to our activities and that can create a hobby.
To finish up our article, I present to you the great, the one and only… #1 Dad Hobbies according to our students, tied between dad giants…
Barbecuing, Fishing, and Woodworking!
Yup, you read that correctly, when asked what they believed the most stereotypical dad hobby to be students said these three the most!
And among all of our responders, one of the biggest dad hobbies was, surprisingly…. videogames!
In the end, there is nothing wrong with poking fun at your dad’s odd hobbies, I mean… who collects model trains
(talking to you, Grandpa Havron) anymore? Or keeps track of the exact second turkey season opens up in the spring? Or enjoys hauling a kayak from one side of a stream to the next body of water? Well, thats your dad! And although he may be gifted in snoring very loudly and geeking out over sports, there’s a little bit of knowledge in that brain.
