One day, my beautiful girl will grow up to realize that Daddy is actually pretty square. (I know, I know, that profile pic on the right makes me look super cool). Anyway, I’m very aware that this day is approaching far faster than I’d like to admit. For now, though, Daddy is like a God! And I’ve even got the ‘World’s Greatest Dad’ mug to prove it.
So, until my little darling discovers that movie nights aren’t the epitome of a cool man, I’m gonna enjoy my superpowers. While they do come with many benefits, the ability to completely blow her little mind with little nuggets of knowledge is the best by far. There’s nothing quite like seeing their little jaws drop with sheer excitement.
I’m sure you’ve already found plenty of examples yourself, but here are the four I’ve discovered over the past year.
Santa Travels The Whole World In One Day
My little angel is still a bit young to fully comprehend the size of earth. But she does appreciate that the globe (no offence flat-world-idiot-theorists) is huge. In truth, the concept of Santa is already enough to blow her mind. Still, when I told her that the jolly man who looks an awful lot like Daddy in a red suit and white beard gives gifts to everyone in one night, she was stoked.
Aside from being a great way to crank up the festive excitement, it can be a cool way to embrace geography. An inflatable globe (ok, you flat world guys can have a map) costs just a few dollars. Let your child pick out countries, and you can teach them a little fact about them.
Or if your knowledge of certain countries is even worse than mine, Google is a wonderful thing.
Kids In Different Schools Have Different Routines
I’m sure my child isn’t the only one that thinks all children are the same as in our neighbourhood. Or at least she did think that until I recently opened her eyes to the diversity across the globe. Telling her about varieties of food and hobbies made a big impression. However, proving that school uniforms are different around the world was what truly stunned her. Imagine how great the reaction would’ve been if she were a little older and in school.
In spite of what of Donald duck Trump says, an appreciation of all cultures is key. So, it’s not just a way to have a little fun with your child’s reaction. There is a sense of productivity behind those moves too.
If this doesn’t give you an incentive to embrace those ideas, you’re even more stupid than me.
Caterpillars Turn Into Butterflies
Ok, so this one is limited to toddlers and very young children. Still, the concept of caterpillars turning into butterflies is one that can feel very magical. Reading books and watching cartoons is a great starting point. However, when the right time of year arrives, encouraging caterpillars into the garden can be hugely rewarding. Just don’t make the mistake that I made earlier this year by leaving your produce unprotected. (My poor tomatoes!)
In another glowing example of how cool I am, I must admit that watching the transformation over the course of a fortnight or so was quite exciting. As far as Mummy knows, though, I did it solely for the benefit of our beautiful girl.
Who are we kidding, Mummy knew. What’s more, she loved it too!
Daddy Had A Sega Genesis & Little Else
Even at such a young age, our child is a genius with technology. At first, I tried to convince myself that this was the early signs that she had a special gift. While she does have many talents, I soon realized that this natural tech ability is shared with virtually all kids. Gutting, but it did give me another opportunity to stun my little girl. By grabbing my old tech devices down from the attic.
To be honest, I thought she’d laugh when I showed her Sonic the Hedgehog on my old Sega. Instead, she cried. However, the real confusion came after she asked: “where’s the internet bit?”. Seriously, if you ever want to feel old, show some of your old tech. I’ve also found that music does the same, although that may say more about my tastes rather than the era.
I can’t wait until she gets older so I can play her the infamous dial-up internet tone.