20 Dads Who Boldly Rewrite Parenting Norms

Fathers tend to bring a unique perspective to parenting, often handling situations in ways that are totally different from moms. Whether it’s finding unconventional ways to entertain their kids or stepping in with a lighthearted approach to tough moments, dads have a special way of making childhood memorable.

• After my mom passed, my dad tried his best to fill her shoes. When prom came around, I was feeling down. My dress didn’t fit quite right, and I wished my mom was there to help. As I sat in my room, staring at the mirror, my dad knocked on the door holding a little box. “I thought this might help,” he said. I opened the box and gasped. Inside was a corsage—my favorite flowers, perfectly arranged. He admitted he’d asked one of my mom’s old friends for help, wanting to make sure everything was perfect. It was such a small gesture, but it made me feel like my mom was with us that night.
• As a kid, I accidentally knocked over the TV in our living room. I kept looking at the shattered screen, dreading my dad’s reaction when he came home. When he finally walked in, I burst into tears and started apologizing. “It was an accident, I swear!” I sobbed. My dad looked at the mess and said, “Kid, that’s not the first TV to go down in this house.” Then he told me a story about how he broke his family’s TV as a kid while playing soccer indoors. That night, we watched cartoons together on the old spare TV, and I realized he cared more about the memories we made than the things we broke.
• When my mom was pregnant, she found red lipstick on my dad's collar. Didn't say anything. A couple of days later, she found foundation marks on his hand and picked up a fight. He confessed that he attends makeup courses, after which my mom freaked out even more, like how can you lie so brazenly?!
  Instead of excuses, my dad just called me and gave me cool makeup! So Dad proved his point and said, "I have a grown-up daughter, a daughter who is 6, and a third one coming up. I have to be a good dad to them and be able to do everything!" © Ward #6 / VK
• I convinced my twin daughters that there were no more diapers in the world, and because of said shortage, they had to learn to go potty on the toilet. There were many tears, but after two days I got them trained at the same time. © Desdraftlit / Reddit

• Since I was 16, I wanted to have a tattoo, but my dad was against it. I didn’t want to spoil our relationship, so I didn’t rebel. Also, I didn’t know what kind of inking I wanted. I decided to put the idea on hold for a few years.
  Now I’m 19, I’m taking my driving test. I asked my dad to tutor me in theory. When I failed to answer the same question again, my dad said with a sigh, “I think you should get a tattoo after all. Write on your arm, ’Priority to the right!’” © Overheard / Ideer
• My dad waited till my 3 siblings and I had gone to bed on Christmas Eve, then he shouted, “I don’t care who you are, fat man, get that sled off my roof.” We were all up and telling Dad not to yell at Santa. © Slamslam102 / Reddit
• When the new Star Wars movies came out, we were in elementary school. My dad’s company had booked the whole theater to see it on opening day, so we got to leave school early to see it. My dad dressed up as Darth Vader (full costume with helmet and lightsaber), snuck into our classroom, and came up behind us saying, “I am your father.” At the time, I didn’t think it was possible to be more embarrassed, but now I think that was pretty hilarious of my dad to do that. © yourock_rock / Reddit
• We went to the beach with my husband and 8-year-old son. We forgot to take hats, the sun was scorching. Well, I asked my husband to look after the little one and went home to get our hats.
  When I came back, I saw this: my son was buried in the sand, only his head was sticking out. My husband was gone. I ask: “Where’s Daddy?” The child cheerfully replies, “Daddy’s swimming!” “Why are you here?” No less cheerfully, “He buried me, so I wouldn’t get lost.” © Chamber 6 / VK

• My wife went to her mum's to look after her after surgery. And for a week I was left alone with our 2-year-old twins. I used to think that maternity leave was a real holiday, it's not difficult to stay with children.
  I usually only saw the boys before bedtime. I would bathe them, read them a book, and put them to bed. I had no idea it was so difficult with little ones.
  This week, I haven't sat down even once during the day or rested at all. I clean up the mess after their games, cook, and do laundry. And I still have to go for a walk with them. In the evening, I just fall on the bed and don't even want to take a shower or change clothes.
  Now I feel so embarrassed. I almost died during this week, and my wife has been living like this for 2 years. © Mamdarinka / VK
• I bathed my little son yesterday. I washed him, gave him a full set of rubber duckies, and left. Playing usually takes at least 15 minutes. But this time he started yelling “Daddy!” just after 5–7 minutes. I went to the door and asked what was wrong. In reply, I hear, "I can't see anything." It turned out that when I came out of the bathroom, I turned off the light. The child heroically bathed duckies in total darkness. © timmyboy / Pikabu
• My dad told me that if you put salt on a rabbit's tail it couldn't move. It was his way of wearing us out because we would chase the rabbits around trying to shake salt on them. © Unknown author / Reddit
• My dad used to take me to daycare on the bus. We would get on at the final stop, the driver would wait for the departure time. But I didn't understand it then and wanted to depart right now.
  So, my father convinced me that the driver was waiting for me to sing a song. I was shy of the other passengers, but I sang. The driver laughed, started the bus, and we were on our way. © Vl73 / Pikabu

• My husband was watching a friend's kid, so he brought her and our son to the park. Another mom approached him and exclaimed, "Wow, they look nothing alike!" My husband looked at her and said, "Yeah, different mothers." The mom replied, "But they look so close in age!" Instead of telling her the truth, he said, "Embarrassingly enough, they are only about 6 months apart."
  The lady, all huffed up, walked away, and my husband texted me telling me he was the "funniest person in the world." Seriously, our story is funny, but it's like a guy can't be out with a kid who isn't their own, and can hardly be with their kid and not get questioned! © GenuineRisk / Reddit
• Went on a business trip for a couple of weeks. I call my husband and son on the messenger regularly. Yesterday, there was no sign of trouble. They were talking about what they were doing and what they would be doing tomorrow. And then I hear a distinctive "quack" in the background.
  I thought I misheard it, but no. A duck was running in the background! My son looks at me with guilty eyes, "And now we have a duck. Daddy suggested we name him Zlatozar." So now I'm on my way home to my son, husband, and duck Zlatozar. © Not everyone will understand / VK
• When I was in primary school, my dad would meet me after school, and we would walk home together. We would often see crows sitting in the trees, and they would caw very loudly. I was curious as to why they were cawing so loudly, and I asked my dad about it. He looked at the birds and said, "It's because they are desperate: their bottoms itch, but they can't scratch them with their beaks!" © Overheard / Ideer
• I once touched a fuzzy cactus and got a ton of those needles stuck in my finger. Some time later on, I was staring at a kiwi and my dad told me that kiwis are covered in the same fuzzy needles of the cactus. He picked it up and said that only adults have skin thick enough to not be penetrated by them and asked me if I wanted to touch it and see if I was an adult. I instantly recoiled. © yognautilus / Reddit

• When I was little and had nightmares, I would jump out of bed and run barefoot in my pajamas to my dad's workshop. Dad was an architect, but he often painted to relax after work. I would run in, sit down in his chair, wrap myself in a plaid, and, shivering with fear, tell him about the creepy creatures I had seen in my dreams.
  Dad listened to me attentively and drew from my words. But here's a strange thing: no matter how terrible was the monster that I described to him, some cute animals always appeared on the canvas.
  I'd say, "Dad, this doesn't look like that monster at all!" And he would reply with surprise, "Really? I'm sorry, can you describe it again?" As I tried to remember the dream again, I realized that it almost disappeared from my memory, and there was nothing to be afraid of. © Real Story / VK
• We came home from the grocery shop with 3 egg cartons. Our daughter says, "I want to shoot an egg at the wall!" My husband takes a carton with eggs from me, takes the daughter by the hand, and they go somewhere.
  They came back happy, smiling, with the empty carton. They threw eggs at the wall somewhere. My husband said that when he was a kid, he dreamed of doing the same thing. © Podsushano - Here they talk about you / VK
• Dad comes home from work. He comes in to see me and my mum, and says seriously, "Do you know who I just saw?! I was walking, it was dark, and only one lantern shone. Suddenly, a huge hare jumps out of the bushes."
  My mum and I look at each other in surprise, and my dad pulls out a big chocolate bar and adds, "So this hare asked me to give you a chocolate bar!" I'm 24 now, and I still fall for that hare joke like I'm still 6! © Overheard / VK
• All our fishing trips with my father were the best days of my life. Once we were coming home and came across a cherry tree, the berries on it were overripe, and my dad and I ate them straight from the branches.
  I used to get scared when I caught a big fish, and I would shout frighteningly, "Daddy-daddy, fish-fish!" And Daddy would laugh. He'd show me falling stars and glowing rots, bring me bouquets of bellflowers, and call me a fry. © paranoidLynx / Pikabu

Another thing dads are well-known for is their endless supply of classic dad jokes. Their unique sense of humor often makes their family laugh—or at least roll their eyes. If you enjoy this kind of lighthearted fun, check out this article.