My dad is the kind of parent that expects my best. He would never be mad if I failed at something as long as I tried. He's the kind of parent that has to know where I will be, who I will be with, and what time I’ll be home. He never changes his mind after he makes it, which sometimes makes him as stubborn as a mule. My dad can be strict and stubborn because he cares about me more than anything in the world, and that's why he is my hero.

My dad's strictness comes from the way he was raised. He grew up working long hours on his family farm with his brother. His dad was hot-tempered, and he would get angry enough to throw wooden boards at my dad when he did something wrong like break a piece of equipment. In high school, my dad woke up at four in the morning to get his chores done and walk to school so that he would make it to basketball practice by five. After school he had track practice and went home to start a long night of chores. There's absolutely no question to me where my dad learned to be disciplined.

My dad also has a very strong work ethic. Through all of the responsibilities my dad had at home, he played three sports and went to school on top of it. School would've been easy, but my dad had dyslexia which made it nearly impossible for him to read. Since dyslexia wasn't diagnosed back then, every teacher my dad had passed him along with the label that he was just unable to learn. My dad struggled in school until one teacher took the time to sit down and teach him how to read and write. To this day my dad tells me how grateful he is for the teacher that gave him a chance. My dad doesn't only believe in working hard, but hard work is who he is. His motto is do it right the first time so you don't have to do it again.

The best part about my dad is how laid back he is. Even though he likes things done right, he also knows how to go with the flow and have a good time. His favorite things to do are ride four wheelers in the mountains and spend all day in a boat fishing. One day when my dad was bored at school in kindergarten, he decided to jump on a train and ride it home. His parents weren't happy with him, but it's a perfect example of my dad's free spirit. My dad doesn’t worry about things he can’t control, and I admire him for that. When he comes home from a terrible day at work, he always puts on a smile on his face because he knows family is a lot more important than stressing out about his own problems.

I know that I get my best qualities from my parents and the way they raised me. My dad has shown me that with discipline and hard work I can accomplish anything, and have fun while doing it. I know that my dad has strict rules because he loves me and wants me to learn responsibility. My dad knows how it feels to have a hard time at home and at school, so he does everything in his power to make sure I don’t. My dad is my hero because he pushes me to succeed in everything I do, and he cares about me more than anything in the world.