Superheroes are awesome, don’t you think? They can do things that normal, regular, everyday people can’t do. That’s why they also only exist on the big screen … or do they?
I was thinking about all the normal, regular, everyday things that parents do and started considering how we are pretty awesome, too. As awesome as Spiderman, Wonder Woman or the Flash?
Definitely. Maybe even more.
Here are 6 reasons I came up with for why parents are like superheroes:
1. We have superpowers. We just know when our kids are up to no good … even especially when they’re down the hall in a room with the door closed. We have the superhuman power to do multiple things at once, such as talk on the phone and wipe someone’s nose or behind without flinching. We have the ability to move faster than the speed of light the nanosecond our kid is about to stick something in her mouth or up his nose, and stop it from happening just in time.
2. We face perilous situations. On the rare occasions when we can’t stop our kid before he sticks something where the sun don’t shine, we go after said object to extract it. We engage in tense negotiations when our cell phone/laptop/cat/dog is put in a precarious position at the hands of a pint-sized captor. We encounter danger from every side (front and back sides, if you get my drift) and when we least expect it.
*A word of caution: Skip reason #3 if you have a weak stomach.
3. We are brave. We tackle danger head-on, often times without any proper protection (ie. mask, gloves, shield or powered exoskeleton). We get peed on … often. We catch vomit with our hands. We scoop up poo from the bathwater. And we do all these things and still live to brag about it (here’s one of my survival stories)!
4. We look cool. If superheroes can face the world wearing tights and underwear on the outside of their clothing, we can wear our yoga pants/sweats/pajamas with pride. Throw in some unrecognizable stains and spots on our white T-shirts and we’ve got a one-of-a-kind outfit that could rival any abstract painting.
![By F Anderssen (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.2square2behip.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Henry_Tayali_-_Abstract_Painting_1980s.jpg)
6. We save the day. Our kisses can make boo-boos feel better. Our hugs can scare monsters away. Our words of affirmation can help turn tears into a smile. Our love can even empower and protect our kids when we are apart from them. In other words, we make the world a better and safer place.
Whew! And all this is in a day’s work. Now if only we could get added to Marvel Comics’ payroll, too. 😉
Here’s a song by The Script called “Superheroes”. As you can see from the lyrics and video, superheroes are everywhere. 🙂
How can you (as a parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle, teacher, counselor or friend) be a superhero to the kids in your life?
