Why Are Dads’ Texts So Freaking Cute?

I know this post is old, but I just had to comment when I read it. Like you Joanne, my dad would also answer the phone no matter what time of the day (or night) it was and regardless of what he was doing. If I ever dialled his number by accident and hung up on the first ring, I could count till 5 and my phone would ring. His standard opening line was “Hello Mum, it’s me Daddy”, reminiscent of the times when there was no caller ID or smart phone. His text messages would start with “Hello Mom” (although he pronounced it the English way, mum instead of mom) and his texts ended with “God Bless you. Stay well. Daddy”

My father passed away about 3.5 months ago and with his loss, I also lost the little girl in me who was simply called Mum by the person she loved the most…

My dad and I talk on the phone all the time and when we talk it’s never a quick conversation. We can chat for hours and hours about our days, books, articles we’ve read, absolutely anything and everything. But every time the call is coming to an end, without fail, we both say “Goodnight … (wait on the phone in silence to see if the other will hang up first … until one of us cracks) … hello?” and we both laugh and chat for another 10 minutes.

My dad is not super tech savvy, but he has figured out that I am always on my email. So we email each other every day. He doesn’t know how to use italics, bold, etc., which also means he doesn’t know how to NOT use them when he accidentally clicks on them. Often an email might have a line that suddenly turns to italics and he always follows it with: the font changed, rats!

I cannot get enough of this thread! Ah the amount of times I have teared up. I can’t read things about Dads without.
My dad is a hard-headed, stubborn Italian that has totally softened over the years and once I moved 3,000 miles away we started to becoming much closer. In our texts he will use random emojis like the purple face or the coyote(?) and it is funny to see a usually serious Italian man use cute little emojis. He will also answer the phone whenever, wherever (in a meeting, taking a nap, on the roof) which I think is so sweet. But on the topic of phones, I think the best thing I love over the phone with my dad is that even through the phone he will just know if something is wrong with me by the tone of my voice and talk to me for an hour about the fun times he had working at Dunkin donuts in the 70s to just cheer me up :)

My father-in-law is probably the cutest texter. He speaks Portuguese and didn’t get far in school so his sentences are never constructed correctly but they are SO endearing, especially If you read them in his voice. Also, it is interesting to see the shortcuts he takes with language that makes so much sense! Also he likes to send lots of videos of him dancing or doing funny tasks at work and send them to myself, my husband and the family.

My dad and I live 9 hours apart and have for the majority of the past decade. We talk regularly and whenever he ends his call he says “love you see you soon” even though “soon” is very relative when you live 9 hours apart. It makes me happy to think that he’s always looking forward to seeing me next.

I remember when I was little, whenever I said, “I’m full” – my dad would gleefully say, “Yes, you are a fool!” and then dissolve in laughter. I would always get so angry, which would only make him more delighted haha.

My dad is a professor, and I was taking summer classes in his building one year. He liked to make these horrendous vegetable smoothies for my sister and I every morning and always reminded us to pick them up. One day, I got a text that simply said, “juz.” After a moment of pure bewilderment, I started laughing when I realized he meant, “Juice.”

oh man, my dad always used to sign every text, email, or chat message with “blessings, dad”. he passed away a few years ago, but every time I sign into my gmail account an old gchat message from him shows up in the sidebar that says it, and it makes me smile

Every single time my dad leaves a message he says “hi Lauren, this is your father.” Or he will sometimes say “dad” instead. Like I don’t know my dad’s voice. Or know it’s him by caller ID. Or have his number memorized.

My dad and I stay touch throughout the year – phone calls every two weeks or so. But my favorite phone call every year is when he calls me on my birthday and sings “Happy Birthday” to me. If I miss his call, he’ll still leave a singing voicemail, which I think is so sweet. I’ve saved a couple and they perk me up on days that I’m feeling down.

Hadn’t talked to my dad in a couple days and he pops up as I’m reading these! After he tells me he is headed to the gym and I say “how inspiring” he responds with “no, perspiring.” I love him.

My 90-year-old grandfather is very hard of hearing and hasn’t spoken on the phone in years. He also doesn’t converse much in person. Last year, my mother (his daughter) bought him a smartphone and taught him how to text. He now texts her and her nine siblings every day. She recently shared some of his texts with me: “Dear Daughter, Went to church dinner tonight. Need to have my toenails cut but cannot find good help around here. What did you do for dinner tonight. Say hi to the old man (meaning my dad). Be kind- Dad (multiple smileys and the devil emoji)” . The next day: “Dear Daughter, Got my toenails cut. Did it myself. Aren’t you proud. Be kind- Dad (smileys and devil emoji)”. He won’t share the phone with Grandma and sends about 60 texts a day.

My kids laugh that I am such a mom and will text back so quickly. So when I don’t my daughter will text in all caps like she’s yelling to get my attention. Cracks me up!

My dad’s never been big on text speak, so ‘lol’ never caught on for him. Instead, he’ll type out “laugh” if he thinks something’s funny. It’s become such a classic dad move that my brother and I will say “laugh” to each other when we get to see each other in person. It’s such a weirdly endearing quirk.

My dad and my sister and I text lots. And we talk on the phone lots. Since my mom died, Dad has just taken her place seamlessly in all things communications. He doesn’t always have the answers, like re. stuff from when we were kids, he’s always like, “oh sweetie, I can’t remember!” One of my favourite things is we always text each other from concerts we are loving – because we if it’s good, we all truly wish the other two were with us! Anyway, the best thing is how he’s super in on live texting all the awards shows with us! Starting the first Oscsrs after mom died. He has hilarious commentary on the dresses. But does lose pace sometimes, for instance, “Wait! Who is Jenny Anni??”. The other day we had just wrapped up a three way phone call and my sister texted and said “I just love you guys so much!” and my dad popped back with “Feeling’s mewch!” AS IN MUTUAL!! I’m still laughing at that one!!! Couldn’t possibly love him more.

Last year, my father was in a bicycle accident and now he’s a quadriplegic. Needless to say, everything has changed for our family. His world is much smaller now, and it feels even more important to me to be in touch with him. He can still use his hands pretty well, so we text all the time. The thing that hasn’t changed since before his accident is his opener: “Hi dolly, how are you?” I feel so happy, every. single. time.

i love this! my 60 year old dad does a double tap in between each word when he texts, which on an iphone makes a period. this is a function you can turn off, but i love his texts so much that i don’t want to show him! it’s become a classic joke between my close friends and i. An example of a text from my dad:

Morn. Krista. Hope. All. Well. Snowing. Here. Depressing. Will. Find. Out. If . Anything. Happening. For. Easter. Ok. Let. Yu. Know. Luv. Yu. Dad

somehow he also says ‘yu’ and never ‘you’ and always signs off with ‘Dad’ <3 what a man!

My dad will send the most encouraging messages to me, just out of the blue. He’s been doing it since I was in college. He’ll say how much he misses my smile and always askes if I thought about applying for jobs closer to home. It’s like he senses when I need a little encouragement

My dad had rarely texted, he didnt see the point, he said (at that time he only had a flip phone for work.) but when I was at work one day, he texted me “Can you bring me a hot fudge sundae from Dairy Queen on your way home?” He finally figured out the point of texting.

My dad signs all of his emails:

Love,
DAD

(Always capitalized, like DON’T FORGET ABOUT YOUR DAD!!!!!)

I love it so much

This and the comments are so touching, kinda makes me wish I had a relationship with my dad before he passed away. I was always of the impression “you can’t miss something never had”. Then again he was a typical Nigerian dad, so I don’t think we would’ve had any sweet dad texts or moments. In hindsight, I’m glad my kids will have that.

My dad does not proof read his texts and I often have to call him for clarification. I once got one that said the internet was overrun with duck eggs. No, that would be the office intern, who apparently had a flock of ducks and more eggs than she could use. Yeah, I was completely baffled.

My brother recently sent me a screenshot of our dad sending him baseball emojis. When my brother asked why, our dad responded that he thought the baseballs would get my brother’s attention! Mostly, he responds with just the sunglasses emoji (which is, perhaps, the most dad-like emoji there is.) Sometimes he will include a plain red heart, which is when I know he’s missing us a little extra.

These comments are gold. My mom starts every voicemail with, “It’s me!” My aunt does the same thing, and so did my grandmother. I never want to forget that.

Meanwhile, my dad sounds furious on every voicemail. “CAITLIN POND, THIS IS YOUR FATHER. CALL ME.” Always the use of my full name. I’m 25 and I still feel like I’m in trouble every time he leaves a message. Then I call him back and he’s like, “HEY, what is the deal with all these green scooters?”

I am sitting at work reading these (whoops) and feeling so many emotions. Thank you to everyone for sharing! For many reasons, my dad and I don’t have this kind of relationship but my husband and I are looking to start a family soon and any sadness I feel over my relationship with my dad disappears when I think of the kind of ‘cool dad’ my quirky, lovable husband will be. Can’t wait to see.

My dad always ends phone calls by saying “stay in trouble.” Even as a kid, when I’d head out the door to play with friends or go to the pool, he’d call out, “Stay in trouble!”
I really missed an opportunity to actually get into trouble and tell him I was just doing what he said.