What’s the Ideal Gift for Father’s Day? We Asked Real Dads to Tell Us.
From year to year, it can be tough to find a gift for Dad that’s special enough to say thanks for all his years of dedication. So, this Father’s Day, we’re highlighting a few of the dads here at Zinus and sharing their traditions, advice, and real talk on what they look forward to each year!
Ken Varallo
Customs Specialist, Logistics
What do you REALLY want for Father’s Day?
Just to spend the day with my wife, two sons (Noah, Aidan, and daughter-in-law Andrea), and five grandchildren - Logan, Shawn, Hannah, Raven, and Avianna.
Do you have any Father's Day traditions you share with your family from year to year?
Every fourth year my birthday and Father's Day fall on the same day, but we celebrate them together every year. As a result, I started getting a "birthday extravaganza weekend" each year. I introduce the kids to old movies and new types of foods or recipes, we go to a museum, and always gather at my mom's house on Saturday for dinner. Our dad instilled the importance of family and ensured that we gathered often and celebrated milestones and holidays together. Now that he is gone, our mom keeps that tradition going.
What piece of advice would you give other dads when it comes to parenthood?
This is a hard question. No two kids are the same so they have to be treated that way. Each one brings different joys and challenges. Identify those differences and tailor your style to their individuality.
Ken's Zinus pick:
Cooling Gel Memory Foam iCoil® Hybrid Mattress
Reuben Magbanua
Managing Director, Global Customer Care
What do you REALLY want for Father’s Day?
Lunch or dinner in San Francisco with my girls where they profess how great of a dad I am until I swoon from their admirations.
Do you have any Father's Day traditions you share with your family from year to year?
It's not like Mother's Day, so no.
What piece of advice would you give other dads when it comes to parenthood?
Spend a lot of time getting to know your children = listening. Have honest and sometimes difficult conversations and make them laugh. Watch your temper and be aware that the things (small or big) you do will shape them.
Reuben’s Zinus pick:Paul Pellizzari
Account Manager, Merchandising and Operations
What do you REALLY want for Father’s Day?A Weber Charcoal Grill. Nothing beats the flavor of a charcoal grill. And time to myself. That's always needed.
Do you have any Father's Day traditions you share with your family from year to year?
Get together, have a bunch of great food and spend time with the family.
What piece of advice would you give other dads when it comes to parenthood?
Listen to your children. Give them advice. As they get older, allow them the ability to make decisions and then let them deal with the consequences of those decisions. If we continue to shelter our children from the consequences of their decisions, they will go into the real world with a skewed sense of how it really is, and that can get them into a heap of trouble.
Paul’s Zinus pick:Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress
Edriss Soleyman
Senior Manager, Merchandising and Operations
What do you REALLY want for Father’s Day?To spend the day with my wife Jenny, my daughter Juliette, and my dog London. We are planning to grab lunch at our favorite Italian spot.
Do you have any Father's Day traditions you share with your family from year to year?
This is my first one so we will start some!
What piece of advice would you give other dads when it comes to parenthood?
Velcro swaddles are game changers. Take a lot of pictures, they grow fast!
Edriss’s Zinus pick:Andrew Long
Head of Product Marketing, Marketing
What do you REALLY want for Father’s Day?We are going to Hawaii with my family, my brother's family, and my dad in June, so that will be an AMAZING Father's Day celebration!
Do you have any Father's Day traditions you share with your family from year to year?
Usually I'll go play golf with my dad and my brother that weekend. Then we'll come home to hang out with our families and watch...GOLF! The US Open is always that weekend, so we'll watch the final round together.
What piece of advice would you give other dads when it comes to parenthood?
My kids are teenagers now, so this is a lot different than parenting little ones. For me, it seems the biggest thing is to get them to put the phone down, unplug for a little while and try to connect. This usually works best in the car or at a restaurant. It's always fun to get them talking and learn what's got them excited or stressed out. It seems that the best thing we as parents can give our kids is our time and attention. Not a new concept but it sure rings true!
Andrew’s Zinus pick:Winter Cloud Memory Foam Mattress