“One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.” – George Herbert
English poet and priest George Herbert nailed it with this quote, summing up just how profound a father’s role is in shaping the life of a son or daughter.
And like many have it, your father is probably one of the few men whose genuine happiness comes from watching you do better than he did, making sure you don’t face the same struggles he did growing up. Yet, to tap into that wisdom, you’ve got to ask the kind of questions that open up real, meaningful conversations.
“To ask the right question is already half the solution of a problem.” – Carl Jung (Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist)
Fathers are often quiet, with their insights carefully considered before being shared. To draw out a life-defining conversation with your dad, at the right time, you ask the right questions, son!
Following up on the questions to ask your mother, here are 12 conversation starter questions to ask your father.
#1. What is your happiest memory of us?
#2. What were those first few days of fatherhood like?
#3. What do you want most for your kids?
#4. When was the moment you felt most proud of me?
#5. What is the nicest thing I’ve ever done for you?
#6. What is the one thing you want me to always remember about you?
#7. What’s a lesson you learned the hard way that you hope I avoid?
#8. What’s one thing you wish I understood about the pressure of being a provider?
#9. How did your relationship with your own father shape who you are?
#10. Who did you feel closest to among your siblings, and why?
#11. What’s the biggest lesson marriage has taught you?
#12. What did a true friend look like to you back then, and now?
Unlike those Instagram text-to-speech clips with someone slicing soap, emphasising “before he dies,” our 12 conversation starter questions to ask your father will not only get you answers, but fuel one of those memorable father-son conversations with your dad that will stand the test of time.
A wise man once said,
“Cherish every moment you get to talk with your parents; those conversations are priceless treasures.”
