Since I became a father almost nine years ago, the annual June holiday has quickly become one of my favorite days of the year. Each Father’s Day, I like to take inventory of my life and how it changes from year to year.

Last year’s edition was one of the toughest pieces I’ve ever written. There was too much loss, too many tears for one year. I miss my father-in-law all the time, and I think often of my grandfather too.

This year has been different. Since last Father’s Day, I’ve moved back to West Michigan after three years in Houston. While I enjoyed Texas and met some truly great people there, the Holland/Grand Rapids area is where I am most at home.

One of the neater experiences in coming back is that several of my friends have become first-time dads. It’s been very interesting to see how fatherhood has impacted and changed them. Watching them grow as men and sharing in their joy at a whole different life has been incredibly rewarding. Even though it’s harder to get free for a drink or a round of golf, the times we do get together seem to mean more. It’s as if being tied to our kids so much makes us appreciate “guy time” even more.

I get that even more when I run into fellow work-at-home dads. Picking up my daughter at preschool every day often wound up leading to long discussions on football as we watched our kids play. It’s the water cooler for those of us who don’t have an office. It’s also strong reinforcement of the importance of sports, and specifically football, in our lives.

I’m going to miss that, because for the first time since 2008 I will no longer be the parent of a preschooler. My son’s first day of preschool was the day my daughter was born. Now I’m the proud parent of a rising 4th grader and a very eager kindergartner-to-be. The school bus stop replaces the preschool lobby, but it’s not the same; I can watch the kids board the bus from a window, and I’m most definitely not a morning person either.

Having guy time is something that has become very important to me. I love just hanging out, talking football or basketball, and stepping away from being Dad for even a few minutes. I know that runs counter to the spirit of Father’s Day, but my kids will be the first to tell you it makes me a better father to them. They know when I need to get away as much as I do. Thankfully they are hitting the ages where they can do many things independently and I don’t have to hover over them every waking moment.

That independence makes the time we do spend together all the more special. I was fortunate to take my son to two University of Michigan football games last fall. Just as my own father used to take me to at least one Ohio State game every year as I grew up, I get to share an awesome experience with my son. My dad and I always stopped for ice cream at the same roadside stand. My son and I are quickly making it a tradition to go to the same restaurant after every game, too.

My Layne learned all sorts of lessons at the Wolverine games. The first game he went to was Akron, and the Zips very nearly pulled off the huge upset. He got to experience over 100,000 people being on pins and needles. He saw adults weighing how to react to simultaneously being disgusted and thrilled when Michigan finally won, thanks to a brutal missed holding call in the end zone on Akron’s final play. Layne learned some interesting expressions, most of which are unfit for print and definitely unfit for a wide-eyed 8-year-old.

The next 2-hour trip to Ann Arbor taught him about what it’s like to witness a loss. Nebraska triumphed in the Big House, and the natives were angrily restless throughout. There was lots of booing and jeering, especially when Devin Gardner appeared to be playing for the Cornhuskers more than the Wolverines.

In over 15 professional sporting events, Layne had never seen the home team, his team, lose. In a year where the Houston Astros lost 107 games, they were 3-0 while we were in attendance. He thought of himself as a lucky charm. The loss led to a great conversation about superstitions and coincidences. Those are life lessons that need to be learned, and football provided the conduit for me to be a better dad and explain it to him in real context.

It reminds me of when I was a kid, and my father and I watched Ohio State get stunned by Florida State in the Horseshoe. I was used to seeing the Buckeyes beat up Northwestern 63-0 and Wisconsin 59-0, so it was confusing to see Alphonso Carreker dominate my beloved team. At that time, I just assumed that every Ohio State player was from Ohio, and that all the great players in Ohio would go there. So seeing Carreker, a Columbus product, tearing it up for the Seminoles, it really opened my eyes. There was a much bigger world out there, and football helped me realize that. As a side note, I’m amazed Carreker never developed into a Hall of Fame player as he was the first legit athletic freak I ever remember seeing. There’s a life lesson with an occupational application.

This is one of the bits of advice I give to my friends who are new to the fatherhood club: use and share your love of sports, and it will help you be a better dad. So many of the qualities we want our children to develop--self-confidence, pride, integrity, worldly savvy, how to handle disappointment, passion for a cause--come naturally to kids through sports. My Father’s Day weekend will be spent in a decidedly athletic vein. The plan is for a beach volleyball tournament on Saturday, followed by watching the Spurs/Heat with my hoops-fanatic son. We’ll get out and throw the football, maybe do some dribbling drills in front of the hoop in the driveway, perhaps even hit the driving range.

One of the best ways to bond with your kids is to participate in sports with them. It’s also a great way to stay bonded to your own father. My dad and I still talk a lot of football, and I cherish his divergent perspective. Between Johnny Manziel, Josh Gordon and Jimmy Haslam’s shady business practices (my dad is an OTR truck driver) we’ve had quite a bit to talk about lately with his Browns.

So for you dads out there, incorporate your love of sports into Father’s Day. And for you sons out there, treat dad to something related to his big love. Ask him to go hit some golf balls, or talk about a favorite moment with his impassioned team, or even sit and watch the World Cup and try to comprehend why billions apparently like that other football.

Happy Father’s Day!