Father's Day 2018

Since Father's Day is Sunday . . . I was reflecting on how a father's role has changed over the past few generations (based on personal recall and experience). 

When I was growing up, the marital roles were clearly defined. The fathers were the bread-winners, and the mothers were the home-makers. My mom did work, but it was merely to help out and was clearly a secondary role in my dad's business. She opened the mail at his company, and organized the bills to be paid. It was in the home where the responsibilities were hers - all hers.

Since I was a product of the Women's Liberation Movement, the options for me were plentiful. I believed all things were possible regarding the workforce and success, and I pursued my options. We were the first generation of women to work out of the home as much as the men did. (Not in all cases, but for the most part). What did that mean for the fathers? Oh boy, . . . there was a serious "training period" that had to occur. We needed the dads to help with housework, child-raising, cooking and all things necessary to run a household. Lots of statistics state that the women in this generation still had the majority of household responsibilities as a carry-over from the generation that came before them. 

During my husband's training period, when my daughter was about 1.5 years old, I went on a shopping spree with my mom and left my husband and dad in charge of our 2 kids. When I came home, my daughter’s diaper looked like low hanging fruit! I asked my husband if he fed her lunch and he said, “She had a bunch of cheese puffs.” As I looked closer, she was shirtless and had cheese puff dust all around her mouth and all over her belly! To be honest, . . . she seemed very happy; much happier than I was based upon her lunch menu!

Fast-forward to the next generation, I'm optimistic that the transition is being completed. I see my son taking an equal role regarding the raising of his children, as his wife has a demanding job, just like he does! I also see my son-in-law taking an equal role regarding child-raising and household responsibilities as my daughter owns her own business. I love the changes I see - which is a true advantage of growing older!

So, Father's Day . . . it's the one day a year we get to celebrate how special Grandfathers, Fathers, Husbands and Sons are - such an integral part of a healthy family unit!

Happy Father's Day to all the men that enhance our lives!

Adrienne Streeter, Baltimore-born, president and founder of Streeter Printing, Inc., truly has ink in her blood. She grew up in her family's printing business, working in their shop from the age of 14. She later obtained a degree in Commercial Art and in 1980 founded Streeter Printing with her husband, Jack. She and Streeter Printing excel in the creative process, helping clients transition from concept to completion, getting the best results while staying within budget. Their son, Jon Streeter, joined the firm in 2004 after receiving his degree in Communication and Media Management. His education and forward thinking coincided perfectly with the changes required to have the company continually grow and adapt to an evolving communications environment. Employing a staff of 19 industry veterans, offering a vast array of offset and digital printing, Streeter Printing has been serving the local San Diego community for almost 40 years. Their client base includes well known regional, national and international clients due to their stellar reputation and strong commitment to excellence.

Streeter Printing is a Certified Woman-Owned Enterprise with a certification from the CA Public Utilities Commission. Certification # VON: 0BS00030