With Father’s Day just around the corner, we’re being reminded to appreciate the fathers in our lives. We see ads for the “typical” gifts. Well, my husband isn’t “typical.” He doesn’t golf. He doesn’t wear ties, and he’s not a huge sports fan.

He loves to ski, hike, and dig rocks. Well, I wouldn’t say he loves digging rocks, but he enjoys working on our various landscaping projects. The perfect Father’s Day for him would be a nice hike followed by some quality time in the backyard. Throw in the chance to get dirty and a possible trip to the ER, and he’d be beside himself with joy.

Now that Claire is big enough, he has a built-in helper.

I have no problem with Claire helping Daddy with his landscaping projects, as long as he’s okay with Claire helping him with his landscaping projects. It’s something they love to do together, and the end result is always awesome.

(We won’t let her “help” with the really dangerous tasks, and since she’s started helping him, the trips to the ER are practically non-existent. Whew!)

When I see them working together, I’m reminded of how totally similar yet strikingly different our parenting approaches are.

On the big things, we are always on the same page. Often times, we end up finishing each other’s sentences, we’re so much in tune. Our disciplinary tactics are the same. Our ideas on safety match. We’re not at odds with each other, and that has made parenting a preschooler that much easier on all of us.

On some of the little things, we’re polar opposites.

For example, it pains him to see Claire upset. It’s hard for him to tell the difference between when she’s honestly upset and when she’s putting on a show. She has the eyelash-batting and perfectly-timed tears down to a science. Daddy is not a complete pushover, but it’s a struggle for him. Momma, on the other hand, can see right through the manipulation.

On the other hand, I can get locked into a battle of wills with her over the silliest things and forget to see the big picture. She sees my big, shiny buttons and has no trouble pushing them. I can get all wound up in the moment, but Daddy can step in and calmly redirect both of us, without so much as a twitch.

We make a great team, my husband and I. We make each other the best parent we can be.

I love that we’re the same and different. I love the way he interacts with Claire. I love the way he handles a common situation in a completely new and different way.

Case in point…

I’ll never forget the conversation I overheard, almost a year ago, when he was helping Claire get dressed for the day.

When I would help Claire get dressed, each of her big girl panties would be laid out and all the virtues of said princess or creature adorning them would be discussed. Do you want to wear Jasmine™ today? What about Cinderella™? Oh, look! This one has three princesses on it! In what seemed like an eternity later, a choice would be made, and we’d get on with the rest of our day.

But, this day? The day Daddy was in charge of helping Claire?

He opened the drawer, looked at the one on the top of the pile and said, “Oh look! It’s a Hello Kitty™ day!”

And, that was that. It was A Hello Kitty™ kind of day, and even the princess couldn’t argue with Daddy.

What different ways of doing the same ol’ things have you learned from your partner? Feel free to share!