When kids arrive you try to bring your best dad game to each match. One of the best things most parents will tell you is to see the kids laugh. It nearly makes it all worth while. And the more they laugh the less time they have to cause trouble or cry. The only issue is having a constant supply of material to divert them from thinking about having a tantrum.
I, unselfishly, took the role of chief good humour supplier after the arrival of No 1. I was also pretty good at making organic vegetable purre – we wouldnt want to harm the kid’s future prospects or have them turn out to be axe murderers.
After putting in hours of hard graft over many months with keeping No1 topped up with giggles and constant reminders that I was funny, I got the reward for my efforts, No1 proclaimed that “daddy is funny”.
I took that accolade in my stride. But pretty chuffed inside.
Surprisingly this did not seem to please The Wife. On reflection not really that surprising as the in-law side of the family is not renowned for its wit and repartee. I can’t ever remember the mother in law ever smiling in my presence.
No 1 was getting fairly good at telling everyone that “daddy’s funny”, which I counted as a substantial parenting achievement.
We were just pottering along one morning when No 1 asks The Wife
“What is funny?”
At least The Wife thought that was funny. Which it wasn’t.