I've Discovered What It Takes to Transform My Husband Into "Superdad." If Only He Were Like This All of the Time.

"My husband is a great dad to our toddler. He's loving, patient, responsive, and fun. As our kid grows, he's more and more willing to be silly with her, too. Sometimes things are tough, of course-he had no experience with kids before we had our baby, while I'm a preschool teacher and have nannied and babysat my whole life. I'm also still breastfeeding our daughter, which gives me a distinct advantage when it comes to calming her down. I'm definitely the primary parent."

"When he's around other dads, he turns into Superdad. He plays games that would put Bandit and Chili Heeler to shame, makes use of the verbal techniques suggested by the Montessori and Dr. Becky books, and immediately goes for the diaper bag when a diaper change is needed (needless to say, this is not what happens when he has no audience but me)."

The husband is described as a loving, patient, responsive, and fun father who increasingly engages playfully with the toddler. The primary caregiver has extensive child-care experience and is still breastfeeding, making her the default calming presence. The marriage is mostly cooperative, with honest communication and fair fights, and the husband responds well to raised concerns. Around other fathers, the husband becomes demonstratively hands-on and adopts polished parenting techniques, prompting the primary caregiver to interpret the behavior as showing off or impression management. The primary caregiver is unsure whether to address the inconsistency or accept occasional exceptional caregiving as a perk.

Read at Slate Magazine