Since birth and before, my dad has been one of my best friends. A built-in best friend you could say, since he is my father. Our relationship means the world to me. We have maintained a relationship by spending time together. Over the years spending time together has looked like playing and watching basketball, skiing, watching movies, pickleball, boating, and going for drives. During all of those activities we do together, what I enjoy the most is our conversations. In fact, the most valuable aspect of our relationship is the verbal communication that we share. Afterall, the very first word I ever spoke was “dada”. Me and my dad could talk for hours on end if we could. If I ever have struggles that I need help with, I go to my dad to talk things through. As a father, he can meet my needs because we verbally communicate what those needs might be. 

When I was younger I had a hard time explaining my emotions but my dad always asked the right kinds of questions to get words out of me in a loving way. I eventually got so comfortable sharing things with my dad that it was a regular thing for me. This is an example of the Significant-Other Theory. Because of the influence my dad has had on me, I have similar ideas, mannerisms, and almost the same vocabulary as him. 

My dad has always been a pretty temperate and calm person. He very rarely raises his voice and his choice of language is pretty clean. In the home, I’ve noticed the impact his verbal language has had on not only me, but on my mom and siblings as well. I am very grateful for the relationship I have with my dad and for the influence he has had on me. My dad gives me confidence in my ability to communicate verbally with others. His example of effective verbal communication has impacted me greatly in my other relationships, and I am sure it will continue to do so as I grow older.