The Unofficial Owner’s Manual for Michigan Dads

Father's Day got me thinking: what exactly makes a Michigan dad different from dads in the other 49 states? It's not that dads everywhere aren't great. It's just that Michigan dads seem to operate on an entirely different owner's manual.

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While their wardrobe or outward appearance may not be distinguishable, their behaviors and instincts have been shaped by freshwater, lake-effect snow, and life in Michigan.

Michigan Dads Don't Need a Forecast

A man tends to a grill during a cookout.

A Michigan dad can predict the weather based on smell. A single look at a cloud followed by a grunt tells you everything you need to know about what kind of system is moving in.

He'll spend the entire summer complaining about how it's too hot, too wet, or too dry, and the entire winter complaining about snow as he nurses his snowblower through 'one more season.'

Michigan Dads Speak Fluent 'Up North'

No matter where they're actually headed, it's simply called "Up North." Could be Grayling. Could be Houghton. Could be a cabin with no address and questionable plumbing. Doesn't matter. It's Up North.

Michigan Dads Can Fix Almost Anything

A man holds a hammer making a repair in a workshop.

Need a fence repaired? Broken lawn mower? A Michigan dad has a solution for most household issues... those solutions will involve duct tape, zip ties, a spare bolt from the 90s he saved for just such an emergency, and all repairs end with the phrase: "That's not going anywhere."

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Michigan dads are equal parts handyman, meteorologist, grill master, outdoor guide, and comedian. They're the guys who taught us to bait a hook, own up to our mistakes, and never trust a GPS over local directions.

Thank you, Dad.