The Hardware Man - Dads, Grads and Hardware Stores

Howdy folks,

We are quickly approaching the holiday that is the most important day to observe according to one of my brothers: Father’s Day. The one day he made sure his kids knew was about him. In the hardware industry, we love helping dads keep their Man Cards current as they tackle their home improvement projects.

As the father of three young teenager boys, I have a certain outlook on the topic of manliness. My raising style is different than my other brother who only has girls, but our goals for them are similar. Yes, we both want our kids to be successful, independent and positive contributors to society. But I want each of my boys to be masculine, able to support a family, make a good life for his family and have the know how to do most tasks necessary around the house. Modern advertising regularly emasculates and ridicules the man into being weak and brainless, but the traditional roles that make strong men and women are still important and very natural.

I have been blessed to be able to include my children in my work from an early age. I have pictures of them helping to spread mulch or carefully run the tractor so I could shovel out of the bucket. They have helped clear snow and mow grass. I shot a video of my oldest when he was maybe five years old losing control of the backpack blower and it spinning him in circles. We have traveled together on business so they can see parts of the country that aren’t so touristy. My boys are known in the hardware industry by CEOs, sales representatives and other store owners from attending different hardware conventions. If we ever lost track of them at a show, someone would point us to their last known location. They have been involved when I work in the garage or around the house. Caleb hung most of the new light fixtures in our house and we worked through the 3-way switch wiring together.

This year we are celebrating the high school graduations of three of my nieces and nephews. That official move into quasi-adulthood where responsibility is now on them. They will be attending college this fall and have varied goals and dreams on where their life decisions will take them. According to some researchers, by the time a child hits 18, they will have already spent 90% of the time they will ever spend with their parents. Eventually, the only time spent together will be over weekends or holidays.

With that statistic in mind, it makes me consider the quality of the time I spend with my children now. What have I taught them to this point? What is left to teach? Will I have sufficiently prepared them for the real world? Will they still want to visit when I am old?

I may have scarred them for life at this point. In a good way. They are socially adjusted, able to converse with adults, know how to act at a formal dinner and can operate an elevator in a hotel. They know the rules of golf and basketball. They know something about home maintenance and the value of money. We will instruct on oil changes, dating and money management. We have taught them principles, honesty and integrity.

While a mother teaches by nurturing, the dad instructs by example, by self-discipline and by consistency. As fathers, we have a deeper responsibility than just providing food and shelter for our offspring. We shape and direct our children to success based on our experiences, our faith and our failures. If you want to teach your kids something, bring them to your local hardware store. They may learn something about you.

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Daniel Karns and his wife own Clintonville Hardware & Rental along with other businesses. Join the discussion by contacting him at info@clintonvillehardware.com.