Monday, June 12, 2000 | 2:15 a.m.
Isn't it romantic?
It seems we just got past the mind-bending experience of deciding what to get Mom for Mother's Day and now it's time to do likewise for dear old Dad for Father's Day (which, in case you've forgotten, is Sunday).
WishClick, which calls itself an on-line "personal gift service" (www.wishclick.com), recently released the results of a poll it sponsored asking 832 dads to name a "romantic" gift they'd like to receive.
Romance, it seems, means something different to everyone. Among the dads' responses: A steakhouse dinner, new golf clubs, a table saw, a motorcycle and lawn/farm equipment. It doesn't get any sweeter than that, folks.
Forty-seven percent of fathers responded that they want to spend time with their loved ones this holiday. Twenty-eight percent want to spend a day or an entire vacation with their children/family, while 17 percent merely want dinner or a day spent with their wives.
A new friend
Drop it! We know what you were thinking. "Wouldn't Dad love another necktie?" Here's the cold, hard truth: No, he would not.
Get a little creative this year -- consider adopting a manatee. It is sort of an old standby, after all: The Save the Manatee Club, based in Florida, has been finding families for these endangered species since 1981.
Bathtub's not big enough? No problem. Dad won't actually receive this giant creature -- they can exceed 13 feet and 3,500 pounds -- but your $20 buys an adoption certificate, photo and "life history" of a manatee which may boast a manly name such as "Brutus," "Howie," "Doc" or "Paddy Doyle."
For more information, contact the SMC at (800) 432-5646 or visit www.savethemanatee.org.
'Rookie' season
Rest assured that first-time fathers don't need more ties or sea animals. What they need is advice -- and plenty of it.
Enter the recently published book "Daddy Smarts: A Guide for Rookie Fathers" (Taylor Publishing Company, $14.95), by Bradley G. Richardson. This guide book, of sorts, is packed with information to use on the road from pre-conception to being at home alone for the first time with the newest addition to the family.
A couple of tips that nervous, new daddies might not consider: Don't miss the milestone doctor visits with the wife -- the one in which you learn she's pregnant; when you hear the baby's heartbeat (10-14 weeks); the ultrasound/sonogram visit (16-20 weeks); or any time she needs to see the doctor due to a complication or a problem.
Also, pack your own bag for the hospital. It should include a change of clothes ("you never know how long labor may last"), snacks, a camera and film, a cell phone and list of people to call. And don't forget the wife's favorite CDs and toiletries -- otherwise, you're just asking for trouble.
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