BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE

JUNE 18, 2022

Hands up if you get your best (well, funnest) parenting tips from Bluey?  

If so, you’re not alone!  

This awesome little Aussie cartoon has fans everywhere from London to Launceston, and although no human parent is exactly like Bluey’s dad, Bandit, we can all learn a lot from his patient and fun-loving approach to child-raising.  

The Daddy Drop-off episode is a case in point.  

It’s Bandit’s turn to take Bingo to kindy and Bluey to school, and despite a series of unexpected events, the doggy dad doesn’t get his tail in a twist.  

Instead, Bandit makes drop-off extra fun.  

There are pretend phone calls in the car, funny walks down the footpath, and a final game of ‘Wind Up Bingo’ before the childcare day begins, and all these animated antics are seriously good for the trio’s relationship. 

They connect Bandit to his pups, and in the real world, dads are encouraged to follow his lead and do drop-offs whenever humanly possible. 

This helps out mums, and it also helps dads to build a healthy relationship with their kiddo  

Support for Fathers says building this relationship is the most important thing a dad can do in their child’s life, because it supports their healthy development and positive outcomes. And from the get-go, every healthy dad-kid relationship starts with the development of a bond.  

Support for Fathers says dads form this bond by: 

• Spending one-on-one time with their kiddo 
• Being ‘there’ for them, and
• Taking responsibility for their needs. 

Fathers can do this anytime, anywhere, but childcare drop-off (and the whole ‘getting out of the house on time’ thing) is a great opportunity for a dad to do his bit for the family and build a great connection with his under-five.  

There are lots of chances to bond when getting ready together, sharing the childcare commute, and parting company in a positive way.  

And for all those fathers wanting to channel a bit of Bandit’s enthusiasm, here are 5 ways to make daddy drop-off fun: 

1. Pull on some silly socks 

Whether the dad in your family wears a suit for the office, or a tracksuit for home, a pair of silly socks is a great way to kickstart the childcare day.  

Ideally, you want a few novelty designs for your child to choose from, and whichever pair they pick, Daddy wears!  

Polka dots, dinosaurs and flamingoes are all fair game, Super Dad socks always rock, and matching father and child socks (like these skateboarding banana ones) are a twinning way to put both peep’s best feet forward.     

2. Do some wacky walking 

While we’re on the topic of feet, no fun childcare drop-off is complete without a silly walk to the car or classroom.  

There’s the option of going slooooooooow like Bandit, or playing his ‘Walk Straight’ game (without much straight-walking at all!).  

A bit of hopping, skipping and star-jumping makes things interesting, too, and backwards-walking is always fun, as long as long as the coast is clear and safe! 

3. Make some noise en route  

Any dad who’s been subjected to the Baby Shark song for one hour (or even two minutes) will be extremely cautious about animal-themed kids’ music during the childcare commute, but Peachy Keen’s animally song collection is fun for all the fam.  

Puppies, kangaroos, monkeys, rabbits and a bunch of other critters come along for the ride, and every car trip is better with silly singing and animal noises!  

4. Choose-your-own-story 

Whether your dad-kid duo are walking to care, or driving, another fun idea is to make up a story along the way, taking turns to build the plot.   

For example, Daddy might start by saying, “Once upon a time there was a very, very silly doggy called…”  

Kiddo can then chime in with, “Doggy!” and by the time drop-off is done, the tale of ‘Doggy, the Very, Very Silly Doggy’ will be done, too!     

5. Invent a signature send-off 

Bandit winds up and releases Bingo into the childcare day (transforming her into the cutest toy in town), but there are lots of way to pull off a creative send-off.  

For instance:  

• Dad might do a, “3, 2, 1 BLAST OFF!” 
• Give a Super Hug (especially if he’s wearing his Super Dad socks!), or  
• Come up with a top-secret goodbye, like “I love you, Silly Pants!” whispered in kiddo’s ear, or some very quick (and very tickly) kisses for their hand only.   

 

Remember, though, that feelings come before funnies when doing daddy drop-off 

We can’t expect all fathers to be stand-up comics and improv experts, like Bandit, and when your child is settling into care, emotions matter much more than entertainment.  

Dom Alford, Program Leader at Support for Fathers says, “The best way to do a drop-off is by observing and tuning into how your child is feeling before you leave the house and when you arrive at childcare.”  

“Be a coach and check in with your child. Ask them what works for them with drop-off, what they would like you to do, and how they can feel ok for you to leave. Just like a coach on the training track, you need to prepare your child and give them skills and strategies which they can repeat until they get really good at it.” 

“Distracting things work, but only after you have built up a routine where your child feels happy and ok about you leaving. You can then start combining the fun, goofy activities with this routine and your child will love them even more.”  

In time, a bit of fun does make mornings happier for everyone, and daddy drop-off boosts the relationship that’s so important for father and child.  

Pick-ups are also great for dad-kid bonding, and although it isn’t always possible for fathers to do childcare drop-offs and/or collections, it’s definitely worth sharing the load between Mum and Dad if you can, with some giggles thrown in for good measure.