Dads. They are visible from a country mile. Whether they be in Merrells, cargo shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, or simply sporting the astounding brightness of all-white Nike Air Monarchs or New Balances––even Asics suffice––the “dad look” is unmistakable. People in our modern culture poke fun at the “dad look,” but do they really know what it means to be a dad? Probably not.

Straight out of the horse’s mouth, we have some quality evaluations from Yorktown dads on what it means to be a father. Brad Coyle, father of sophomore Briggs Coyle, shed some light on what he thinks it means to be a dad.

Q: What are some qualities that you adopt when you become a dad?

A: [Your] inherent responsibilities become magnified, and your focus becomes “family before self.”

Q: How should dads dress?

A: Appropriate for the occasion: suits for work and church, shorts all other times.

Q: What are some fatherly child-rearing methods?

A: Trust and respect are a two-way street. Treat your kids with respect, trust that they will make good decisions, and give them the latitude to make mistakes. If mistakes are made, kids should understand that there will be consequences, and the trust needs to be earned back. But parents need to respect that kids do learn from their errors, and the trust needs to be given back-that is where responsibility comes from.

Q: What is your best motivational-dad line?

A: Life is the only game that everyone who plays, can win—play your game well.

These answers have been enlightening, to make an understatement. Coyle has the utmost knowledge of what it means to be a dad. He gave solid advice while still throwing in a quote that puts his paternal knowledge in a golden shadowbox in the Dad Hall of Fame (okay, there is no such thing). But he is just one guy. To get a wider scope on how to be a dad, I asked my own. Unsurprisingly, I only received a plethora of sarcastic answers to my questions. Classic dad move.

However, my dad did provide a quote that has resonated with me for the past few days: “Rules are for the guidance of wise men, and the obedience of fools.”

This just goes to show that however dumb and embarrassing dads can act sometimes, they will always throw in something meaningful, simply because as fathers, they want to see their kin succeed. Being a father does not necessarily mean just having a child and teaching them how to be a grown-up. It also means that you are responsible for your actions and the actions of those whom you have taught. When dads are gone, their legacy and the knowledge they passed down lives on with their children.

In case you did not learn anything from this article, here are a few tips so that you, too can act like a dad:

• Try and teach a life lesson in everything you do.
• Make sure that when you make jokes, they are so bad people can’t help but to smile (e.g. “Last night I dreamt I was a muffler; I woke up exhausted”).
• Learn to make very good small talk––this is key.
• Wear ankle socks frequently––always with tennis shoes, never with dress shoes.
• Make sure that if you are given the title of “dad,” then you live up to that title and do not put it to shame.