Let’s talk superheroes.
My son once told me, very matter-of-factly, that Batman could totally beat Superman—as if it were common knowledge, like gravity or the smell of a full diaper. And as we debated this comic book conundrum over a bowl of cereal and a juice box, I started thinking about how kids view the world. In their eyes, everything big and bold wears a cape, punches bad guys, and always wins.
But here’s the twist: in their everyday lives, Dad is the superhero. No cape required.
Dad: Faster Than a Speeding Bedtime
We don’t leap tall buildings (unless you count a Lego skyscraper on the living room floor), but we do lift impossibly heavy things: tantrums, tired eyes, tricycles, and sometimes the weight of being the “bad guy” when the word no is necessary. Our superpower? Showing up. Every single day.
We become human jungle gyms, short-order cooks, chauffeurs, referees, and occasionally—if the situation demands—a scary T-Rex at bedtime. All while holding a cup of lukewarm coffee in one hand and a half-peeled orange in the other.
The Power of Presence
The greatest superheroes don’t need theme music or million-dollar suits. They just need to be there. Whether it’s taping a broken toy together with more heart than tape, or sitting through the 47th backyard performance of “Elsa’s Greatest Hits,” being present is our greatest superpower. Even when we’re exhausted. Even when work is pulling at us. Even when we have no clue what we’re doing (and let’s be honest—we often don’t).
To your child, your voice is the narration, your arms are the fortress, and your laugh is the reward. You’re not just the hero—they think you wrote the comic book.
Super Strength Looks a Lot Like Patience
Truth is, real strength isn’t in the biceps. (Though moving a car seat with one hand should count as weight training.) It’s in the patience to explain why we don't eat toothpaste for dinner, again. It’s in the hugs after hard days. It’s in the quiet “I love you” whispered in the dark as little eyelids close.
It’s also in the moments we mess up and say, “I’m sorry.” Even superheroes have off days.
Sidekicks in Training
The beautiful part? They’re watching. All of it. They see how we handle stress, how we treat others, how we laugh at ourselves when we step on a Lego and scream like a wounded wildebeest.
We’re not just protecting them—we’re teaching them how to become heroes too.
So yeah, Iron Man is cool. But he never fixed a broken nightlight or made a perfectly symmetrical pancake that looks kind of like Mickey Mouse. .....You did!
Real superheroes get up, every day and sometimes go to work at a job they don't like, they come home and DON'T bring that stress with them, they're not afraid (or can at least FAKE bravery) to be tough and sensitive in the same breath....THAT'S a superhero.
Keep that cape handy, Dad. You’re someone’s ultimate superhero.