This year is a significant one for my husband. He will be 50 years old in July. As I think about this upcoming milestone birthday and Father’s Day this month, I can’t help but appreciate the special role he plays in our family. When our children were younger, they thought of their dad as a superhero. He could fix their broken toys. He could fly them around over his head. Now that they’re older, the superhero persona has worn off. I thought about that recently and realized that he still is a superhero in ways that may not be as obvious to them now as teenagers compared to when they were younger. Here are a few dad superpowers that you may also recognize in the dads in your own families.
- Elasticity: When plans change, and in our household they often do, my husband has the ability to stretch himself to adapt to the unexpected. He can pivot much quicker than I can in uncertain times. He also has grown in his ability to stretch himself to create a healthy life/work balance. This elasticity honors his role as a provider for our family as well as a consistent presence on a day-to-day basis and for the kids’ extracurricular activities.
- Power of Deflection: I asked our kids to name some things their dad always says. “Ask your mom” came up almost immediately. His ability to deflect questions and requests is unmatched. While there are times that I’d prefer to not be the decision maker, I do appreciate that he values my input—or maybe that’s just something I’m telling myself.
- Super Speed: Dad has the ability to fall asleep within seconds of announcing “I’m going to close my eyes for a little bit.” This is a superpower that all of us find fascinating and mildly amusing. What I appreciate about this superpower, though, is that he uses it for good. He rests when he recognizes that he has hit his physical and mental limits. As a mom, I have a difficult time doing that. Does any other mom relate to this?
- Time Travel: “When I was your age…” is a phrase that typically means we are about to travel back in time with a tale of dad’s childhood. As a professional journalist, he is a natural storyteller. What I appreciate is that he takes the time to share these stories with the kids. The stories and memories are happy, and some are sad. Some bring us all to uncontrollable laughter and others bring tears to our eyes. No matter which story is told, the stories help him build connections between the kids and their family story. His stories give life lessons and act as guides for choices that they are facing or may face in life. Whether he’s telling the story for the first time, or for the 15th time, the kids listen.
- Enhanced Durability: According to Superpower Wiki—yes, it’s actually a thing—enhanced durability allows the user to withstand a high level of harm. Think Superman or Hulk. My husband has taken the brunt of many blows that have come at our family. The most notable being in how he stood strong when we came face-to-face with his job layoff, my cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment; all beginning two months after giving birth to our third child. He endured the challenge of being the primary caretaker for a newborn, preschooler and a 6-year-old when I couldn’t.
So, while they may not wear superhero suits or capes, dads do have powers that make them superheroes in our day to day lives. What superpowers do the dads in your life possess?
Christina Mushi-Brunt is a former professor turned freelance writer and public health research consultant. Christina, her husband and their three kids reside in Moore, where she is active in the education community.
