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Father's Day has to be the easiest celebration to plan for - a celebration, that if left up to Dads, would not go ahead at all because all Dads really want is just to be left alone.

Father's Day was brought about to complement Mother's Day as Wikipedia would have us believe. And it wasn't a guy who brought it about, but a woman. A daughter who wanted to honor her Dad. What's he going to say after she had gone to all that work? "No thanks honey. If you really want to do something special, just leave me alone." (The guy had raised six kids by himself! Of course, he wants to be alone.)

My Dad never wanted a fuss. Heck, he didn't want kids! Us four boys would ask dear old Dad what he would like from us for Father's Day and each year he would respond, "Get adopted by another family!" Ah, what a kidder.

Dad's idea of a perfect Father's Day would be getting off the couch and finding a perfect outline of himself in potato chips after watching an afternoon of golf. That's a day I would like to achieve. But every year we would try to do something special for him because that's what Moms like. So why not Dads? Moms like to get dressed up and stand in line with a lot of other dressed-up Moms and wait for their names to be called in a restaurant on their special day. Why wouldn't Dad like something special like that?

I guess we missed the subtle clues throughout the year that Dad wanted just to be left alone on his special day - like when we played tag and he drove away. Our first tubby toy was a plug-in radio. And Dad's favorite game with us was "Hide-n-go..." No, it was just "Hide-n-go." He never came looking for us.

He'd say little things like "I made three just like you. I can take you out and make another, and no one would miss you. Your mother is the only one stopping me." What a kidder.

It's not that he didn't do things with us. He just had his own style of doing things. When it snowed, he'd take us out bumper hitching. For those unfamiliar with this, you'd grab hold of the rear bumper of the family Pontiac while squatting on your feet as Dad pulled you along the snowy road. It was big in the '60s, but neighbors today would probably phone the cops on such a parent - especially my Dad, who made us hold the front bumper! "Keep your arms real stiff!" he'd yell. What a kidder.

We were never a huggy-feely family who shared a lot of emotions to let old Dad know we loved him. I remember once hugging my Dad, which greatly surprised him.

My Dad was a kidder. He loved to laugh. Growing up, I really enjoyed his laughter. A house is so much better with laughter. My happiest childhood memories revolve around my Dad when he was happy. And he wasn't happy that much. It's not like he raised us in fear of punishment, but he carried the world on his shoulders and did more worrying than one human should possibly do. So, laughter was a welcome change.

If there was ever a time I had the chance to show my Dad how much I appreciated him, it wasn't on a Father's Day. It was when we drove up to Fort St. John in northern British Columbia together. I was doing a plumbing job there, and he came along for the two-day drive before I flew him back home. He more than once thanked me for the scenery and the one-on-one time we spent together for those two days. I was lucky he gave me the chance to do it before he passed away.

I've been blessed with several days in my life that I was so proud to be a father to each one of my kids. It wasn't cards, gifts or dinners, but rather a special moment in each of their lives that made me proud and made me think this dad thing is all worthwhile. It's alright.

I wasn't the best son a Dad could have, and deserved the threat of being taken out and another one made just like me. Thank you, Mom! And my kids, at times, came close to that same threat. But, just like me, they came around before it was too late.

On Father's Day, buy Dad dinner, play a round of golf, take him fishing or just tell him you understand and leave him alone. That's what my kids do for me.

Father's Day is not found in days paid for and expected, but in days that my kids have worked for and made sacrifices to achieve their desired goals. And then, hopefully, during your lifetime they make you so proud that you get the chance to stick out your chest and say, "THAT'S MY KID!" Do you know what he just did?" All the work, prayers, hopes and dreams a Dad puts into a kid suddenly sprouts. That's Father's Day.

- Bob Niles

Bob Niles, who answers to Robert, Bobby, Dad, Grandpa, Unit No.2 (his Dad could never remember all the children's names), honey and super hero, is new to writing but not to storytelling. "I like to make people laugh and to think, with a secret desire make them dance and send me untraceable $100 bills in the mail," says the happily married, retired father and grandpa from Richmond in British Columbia, Canada. He blogs here.