One of the biggest pet peeves of dads (and moms) is the assumption that he's somehow just a filler or a stand-in - rather than an equal player - when it comes to parenting.
This stereotypical sentiment is perfectly summed up by this image of a T-shirt posted on Reddit: “Dads don’t babysit. (It’s called ‘parenting’)”
It's no surprise that the reaction to the T-shirt has been overwhelmingly relatable.
Once upon a time, men went out to work and left the lion's share of child rearing to moms. In the majority of North American households, those roles died along with the dinosaurs. Today's fathers more than pull their weight when it comes to raising children. They are not simply there to help "relieve" mom.
According to Stats Canada data from 2015, more than one in 10 stay-at-home parents were dads. Goes to show, our family dynamics have progressed, yet in the main, our thinking about child rearing and gender roles has not. Such thinking is not only passe, it does a disservice to mothers as much as it does to fathers.
From an early age, I made sure my son spent each Saturday alone with his dad. No, I wasn't some neglectful mother. I knew how important it was for both of them to have dad in charge.
After all, parenting is a shared domain. Moms and dads find their own groove. And no doubt as parents we do some things differently. However, I resent the assumption that my husband is somehow less competent, less able than I am just by virtue of his gender.
We resent dads who don't step up to the plate, yet so many moms are such control freaks when it comes to looking after children that we struggle to stand back and just let fathers be... fathers.
Dads are not babysitters. It's high time we give dads the space and the freedom to be dads without treating their role like a cameo performance.
They are not hapless buffoons or babies in their own right. The moment we start treating them like involved fathers, then involved fathers they will become.
As it turns out, I will be out of town again this weekend. Yes, my son and my husband will be just fine without me. Please, don't worry about him and don't judge me.
Don't ask how he will cope because I already know the answer. He will cope like the boss he is.
What's your initial reaction when you see this photo of a young girl on the back of the motorbike? Do you think: Wow, that girl sure loves to ride, or Wow, that girl probably should not ride?
Mom Mallory Torres has heard from both camps after the photo of her seven-year-old daughter was shared on a motorcycle club's Facebook page.
And much like Chrissy Tiger, Torres felt compelled to speak out after social media commentary swiftly went from celebrating the girl to attacking the mother.
"I love my daughter and she loves to ride, so I allow her to ride on the back of a motorcycle in full gear with my boyfriend who has 20+ years of experience," Torres wrote.
Where Teigen used sarcasm and humour to deflect the negative attention, Torres felt the need to defend and justify her parenting decision.
"If you want to keep your child in a bubble, by all means go for it. If you wouldn't allow your child on the back of a motorcycle, then don't, that's your choice as a parent and I support you... Don't call us bad parents for allowing our children to experience living. Don't call us bad parents for enjoying putting a smile on our kid's face every now and then with a motorcycle ride home after school."
I say do what you do, and obey whatever laws happen to be in place where you live, and answer to no one but your own conscience.
In this case, state laws in Texas suggest that young Mackenzie ticks all the motorcycle safety boxes, including being over five years old and wearing a helmet. (Her mother goes one further and ensures the girl also wears safety gloves, boots, and extra padding.)
Incidentally I also grew up enjoying motorcycle rides at the hands of a responsible rider. I was probably closer to 10. Still, the experience, as I remember it, was quite exhilarating. Never once did I feel I was in any danger. Had there been any more risk than riding with her in the car, my mother never would have put me in that situation.
In Torres's case, some good has come out of the experience. She and her boyfriend (said experienced driver) are hoping their story educates others about motorcycle safety. The pair even plans to host an event for families whose kids ride.
Another reminder that just because it doesn't work for you and your family, doesn't mean it doesn't work.
Health Canada has recalled four styles of Munchkin Latch Lightweight Pacifier and Clips as follows:
Product Name | Item Number | UPC
Only the pacifier clips are affected, as the colour disc may detach from the metal plate of the clip, posing a choking hazard.
While Health Canada has not received any reports of incidents relating to the clips, Munchkin Inc. and Munchkin Baby Canada Inc. have received 10 reports of the discs detaching, five of which occurred in Canada, and five of which occurred in the United States. No injuries were reported.
Customers are advised to remove the clips from young children immediately and contact Munchkin to arrange for a replacement two-pack. Customers may alternatively return the product to obtain a full refund.
For further information, customers can contact Munchkin toll-free at 877-242-3134 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or via the Munchkin website or Facebook page.
From July 2014 to February 2016, approximately 16,000 pacifier clip sets were sold in Canada.
RELATED: Dads Get a Bad Rap and We're Partly to Blame 
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