What’s your parenting type?

It’s time for another edition of Father Knows Best? Today’s question comes from Reeyah, who asked:

“i just finished watching that video of you putting up that tent and wanted to say chandler’s really adorable and that you have a beautiful family. :) as for a question… um, how would you describe yourself as a parent? (i hope this has not been asked before)”

First of all, thank you very much. We take Chandler to a spa every day and get him a facial so he can maintain his youthful good looks.

I like your question. The first words that come to mind when describing me as a parent are “accident prone.” Okay, not really. I’m just still licking my emotional wounds from a little boo boo I inflicted on Chandler yesterday. I guess it could be worse. I could be licking his physical wounds.

Thinking about what kind of parent I am reminds me of those Internet quizzes that tell you which Ninja Turtle you are (Mikey -of course. He has nunchucks and thinks he is SO funny) or which Friends character you are (Joey!? I did not see that coming. I want a recount!). So, what kind of parent am I?

I like to think of myself as the support parent. Ashley is on the front lines fighting in the trenches, but I’m who you call when you need reinforcements. I’m like the special forces guy. When Mom is under heavy fire from a constant barrage of tears but needs to get back to headquarters to prepare dinner for the troops, that’s when I get sent in to suppress the resistance.

I employ a slew of unorthodox tactics. They range anywhere from throwing my baby up in the air like a rag doll to checking Facebook while he cries to biting his kneecaps to make him laugh. Just now as I was attempting to keep him entertained while we waited for Mommy to get ready I was playing a new game called “roly poly” where I lay him on the bed and roll him a full three rolls one way and then back the same way while enthusiastically yelling, “ROLY POLY!” I have no idea why I ever thought that was going to work, or why I even thought to do it, but it quickly became a favorite. It is now just another weapon in my arsenal of unexpected parenting tactics.

So there you have it. I tend to use military and combat analogies for a lot of things. I’m not sure why. Okay, time to go play some Call of Duty.