This special feature is presented in collaboration between The Rock Father™, Cheerios and Life of Dad.
Parenting is a balancing act. It doesn’t matter whether your’re a dad or a mom, being responsible for the lives of little human beings can be a daunting task. It’s a gig that goes in waves and cycles, with each passing year, a flip of the calendar that simply shuffles the deck to bring in new challenges – just as the kids take on new activities. Here at Rock Father HQ, our balance includes a corporate gig for my wife (a 40-mile commute twice a day, five days a week), a weird schedule for me that now involves travel roughly once a month, and then balancing those responsibilities with our girls. Two school schedules – one in full-day, one in half-day – plus all the other things like ballet, gymnastics, swimming lessons, girl scouts, theatre camp… and whatever else might happen to plug itself into the mix. It sounds like a lot because it is – but we love it, and we make it work, but that deck is always stacked, and the right balance is key. When something gets out of whack (and it has… many times), the whole thing can come tumbling down for a reset. Just like a stack of wooden blocks… or a well-balanced stack of delicious Cheerios.
It was pretty funny last year when my friends at Life of Dad accidentally created a Global phenomenon with their #CheeriosChallenge. It’s one thing to have pop stars and professional athletes jumping onto something – but when the President of the United States of America gets into the mix? You’re onto something special. Why did this happen? I think it’s quite simple, actually. Stacking Cheerios is fun.
Approaching Father’s Day (the official anniversary of this site), it’s always easy to get analytical in the search for deeper meaning in things, and yes, equating the balancing act of parenting with stacking pieces of breakfast cereal can certainly be a part of that. Is the #CheeriosChallenge a metaphor for something greater?
It certainly can be, but really it’s all about having fun – and sharing in the experience with the kids. It’s up to us, as parents, to share our knowledge with our offspring… enabling them to be well-prepared to deal with the challenges that will lie before them in life. If I have mastered the art of stacking cereal, then my daughters must be able to do it as well… but even better than their father before them!
Look at that concentration. Look at that form and focus. Soon, she will be a Master!
How many can you stack? Get some Cheerios and let us know!
