HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!
Father's Day is this Sunday, June 17. I'm sure many moms have planned for this day well in advance, purchasing tokens of love for their mate and having their children ponder platitudes of filial care in anticipation of bestowing accolades on their father at the appropriate time. For the rest of us, however, there is still time! Do not despair!

A tried and true last minute favorite for Father's Day is the ever popular breakfast in bed. It's a good way to start the day because you get the celebration off to an immediate start. Kids love to cook and even the youngest can help. My 2 year old loves to stir the waffle batter even though he is sometimes a little too enthusiastic and ends up decorating the counter in the process. This is a good time to teach your kids how to clean up their own messes!

Make a breakfast filled with dad's favorite things. If he craves bacon, sausage and fried potatoes, serve them up without the extra helping of advice regarding his cholesterol. It's only one day, so it probably won't kill him. You might want to make sure his life insurance is paid up just to be safe.

In addition to breakfast in bed, you can put together some wonderful gifts without having to spend weeks of planning. Is dad a fishing aficionado? Plan a bonding day for dad and preteen or teen kids by giving him a gift certificate for a fishing charter. Two good choices are Captain Tom's Charters (228-4225) and Atlantic Blue Sportsfishing (325-8850).

If you have younger children, they can get into the act by making custom t-shirts for dad and all the kids. Computers have turned us all into master t-shirt designers, even if we haven't realized it up to now.

To get started, buy plain t-shirts in the appropriate sizes and wash and dry them prior to working with them. You can print on white or colored t-shirts, so let your child go crazy with creativity. You will need a color printer for this craft.

Next you need to buy some miracle transfer sheets to print your design on the t-shirt. Avery Iron-On T-Shirt Transfer Sheets are the easiest way to go, but there are some things you need to know. First, find out if your printer is a laser or ink-jet printer. Also, there are separate sheets for white or colored t-shirts. The sheets for white tshirts print in the reverse, and the entire back lifts off upon ironing. The sheets for colored t-shirts print on the front, and the white backing stays on the t-shirt after ironing. Keep that in mind when planning your design.

Let your kids now design the t-shirt. If you have a scanner, let them draw a picture on an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of white paper and color it. Have them draw a picture of a fish, or a picture of dad catching a fish. You can then scan the picture into your computer, and save it under "My Pictures."

If you don't have a scanner, let your child design a t-shirt on the computer. Most computer programs have clip art you can use. If all else fails, let your child come up with a funny saying that you can type in fun fonts.

Now it's time to print. Make sure you have the sheet orientated correctly in the printer. Print out your child's design, then follow the directions for ironing it on! Instant keepsake and Father's Day present all rolled into one.

Is dad more into gardening than fishing? A gift certificate to an island nursery is a good bet. Suggest a small tree that dad and kids can plant together and watch grow for years to come. You can also incorporate the t-shirt craft by having the kids draw a tree or a picture of your house with the new tree growing next to it.

Do dad's interests lean more toward the artistic side? Sign dad and child up for the Parent and Child Painting Workshop at the Artists' Association of Nantucket. The classes take place on Mondays from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m., and there are two sessions to choose from: July 2 - 23, or July 30 - August 20. You can contact the Artists Association by calling 228-0722, or visit their Web site at www.nantucketarts.org.

Father's Day only comes once a year, and if you will notice, all the ideas in this article have one thing in common. They all require dad and the kids to spend some time together. That, of course, frees up the day for mom to pick up a good book, prop up her feet on the deck, slather herself with sunscreen and spend the day sipping mint juleps. See - it is better to give than to

receive! I