Being A Parent Inspired Me To Make Comics About Hacking Life As A Dad, And Here Are My 31 Best Works
I made some comics about being a dad! The essence of dad-hacking is taking what you know how to do already and applying it to unrelated problems that would otherwise seem unsolvable. Is that a good way to approach difficult problems? I'll let you be the judge. At the very least, it's usually entertaining!
I love my kids and I love being a dad. They're funny and charming and they constantly help me see life from a different perspective. Life with kids is never boring.
That being said, being a dad is hard. It's impossible to know all the right answers to every big child-induced parenting dilemma, and a big part of parenting is figuring out how to do stuff you wouldn't otherwise know how to do. Usually, the quicker you learn to ask others for help, the better off you are! But where's the fun in that?
So, what's a dad to do when faced with a problem seemingly without a solution? Well, when all else fails, a dad digs down deep into those crusty cargo short side-pockets and pulls out a miracle... Get those keys, load up the kids, and run "errands".
I made these comics to document some of my successes, lots of my failures, and to give others a laugh at my expense. For your convenience, I've titled each comic with a dad-hack pro tip. Thanks for reading!
More info: Instagram | twitter.com | gogomachrocketsheep.com
This post may include affiliate links.
Get Some Earplugs
When I was in grade 3, the school forced you to buy a recorder, and then they told the kids to practice at home
Eighteen years ago, when my son turned one, my brother thought it would be a great idea to gift him a small kid's piano. The thing was incredibly out of tune, and since I couldn't remove the batteries, I just had to endure the torture. My brother had his first child a couple of months ago and I can't wait for his first birthday. Sweet revenge!
Would be great if you could find the *exact same piano*
Load More Replies...Our school did the same. My dad forbade us from "screeching" when he was at home. We practiced in class ,because other parents complained about the noise. At the Christmas concert the parents were all amazed when we were able to play Christmas songs they recognised , on the recorders. We were the last class to be required to buy recorders. I still have mine after all of these decades.
There is a high school in Oviedo Florida who has their entire marching band play INSIDE for the second half of their holiday performance! Earplugs are passed out to everyone who remains after intermission!
I got a recorder in the 5th grade, we had to practice at home too. The funny thing is, is that I lived in a subdivision and went to school with the other kids, so besides my recorder being played outside you could hear all throughout our neighborhood the other kids practicing on theirs! 🤣🤣
Making comics about “dad-hacking” is something that happened totally unintentionally. When I first became a dad, two instincts immediately activated: I desired to figure my life out, and I was compelled to mess with my kids whenever presented with the opportunity. That tension fuels the dad-hack: it's competence and incompetence mixed into one ill-conceived idea, executed with impunity; results vary. In the best-case scenario, whatever I’m trying to do works. Worst-case scenario, my kids laugh. It’s a win-win! After a few years of making comics, I noticed a theme common throughout them all. Dad-hacking.
Seize The Day
Dang it did someone put a video camera in my house or something?
See, this is the wrong interpretation of the statement and action (or lack of) following it. Yes, they state they wish they had enough time to do more stuff, but they actually mean do it after they spend some time just f*****g relaxing and recharging first. We need down time before we feel up to tackling projects, chores, or even mentally or physically active leisure activities. So let them be lazy for a while first before getting up and doing stuff, without criticizing them for not bypassing their down time to continue on the soul-sucking treadmill, and both exhaust and burn themselves out completely instead.
How I feel during the school year. “I have so little time to do school and the things I wanna do!” *Proceeds to stare at bored panda and play idly on phone* my phone says my screen time is at least 6 hours a day. Pretty sure that’s not healthy lol. But also, I listen to music without having the phone on, while doing school, so…
It's called if u do more ur gonna get (worse?) Burnout. REST
Encourage Artistic Expression
One time I was visiting my oldest brother and his family. My niece was a teenager at the time and I was in my early to mid twenties. They had just gotten a Bassett Hound puppy a few months previously, and he was now an adolescent dog. Being a hound, you’d expect him to howl, but Harvey just didn’t seem to be able to put that two and two together. So my niece and I sat on the kitchen floor with Harvey, showing him how to howl. After a few minutes of the two of us howling out loud, my brother comes racing downstairs to ask WTF was going on. When we told him we were showing Harvey how to howl, he stopped dead for a moment, thought about it, said OK, then turned around and went back upstairs, totally convinced that what we were doing was quite acceptable. Harvey did eventually let out a very strained first time puppy howl that evening. He got better at it as he got older. He had good teachers.
The ideas for my ‘dad-hack’ comics are mostly inspired by true stuff that happens in and around my household. I’d say my ‘dad-hack’ comics are truth-adjacent; they aren’t an accurate retelling, but a joke version that is crammed into four panels. For example, my daughter didn’t destroy the world by playing a song on her plastic recorder- but for a few ear-ringing minutes, it sure felt like that’s what was happening.
Instill Healthy Fear
I have a talent for bouncing water balloons painlessly off of my body, no exploding. I also ignore them if they explode.
Load More Replies...Oh my sweet summer child. You think I’ve never encountered a water ballon before? Well, you’re going to encounter this one, that you just tried to throw at me, right now. Consider it a lesson about Karma.
Teach The Power Of Negotiation
Damn it, Dad! Just turn the f*****g A/C on, ffs! It’s hot outside and stifling inside this goddamned car!
SUVs are so much hotter in the back than in the front(colder in the winter months) if you're gonna store your mini seeds in one at least think of them and not just your own comfort...
My kids are a HUGE influence on the comics I make in two ways: first, I want to make comics that make them laugh. Second, I find much of what they say and do to be so funny that I must immortalize it in comic form. As a dad, I get a ton of joy out of seeing little glimpses of who my kids are growing up to be. I especially enjoy it when they bring out their incredible sense of humor and make others laugh.
Grab A Power-Nap
So this why my parents always wore their pillows on their heads to sleep. I always wondered why...
Get Your Priorities Straight
I mean, he's not wrong. He could faint from hunger, then nobody will be served.
Though, this assumes they have no idea how to serve themselves. It's like that one can opener story...
Load More Replies...I just like that the writer decided that he had to put little white arrows to the other three plates that said "empty" lol.
Most parents inherently get the humor in my comics. I’m currently a university student (and about a decade or two older than most of my classmates) and I shared a book of my comic strips with one of my classmates who read them and said, “Wow- you’re such a dad.” I couldn’t tell if he meant it dismissively, or as a compliment. Either way: Mission accomplished.
Bring The Kids With You
As soon as I read peace and quiet my family yells... They're playing a game lol
Find Creative Solutions
There is a humorous side of parenting and there is a challenging side of parenting. In my experience, you don’t really get one without the other. When it comes to the comics I make, I always try to find and express the humor that is inherent in the challenges.
Ask Clarifying Questions
Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder
I think my comics are relatable to parents and non-parents alike; parent or not, we all fail from time to time. Hopefully, people laugh at my comics, but more than that, hopefully, my comics inspire people to take pride in their own attempts to get stuff right, to learn to laugh at themselves when they get it wrong, to bring a good sense of humor to any situation and to remember to keep what’s really important to them as their top priority.
Slow Down And Enjoy Life
As a german, A nationality who are supposedly pretty into it, I never really got the concept of a hike. Like, you just walk around all day? The harder the terrain, the better? Why? I rather stay home, is more comfortable.
I like hiking in forests. Especially on sunny days. The shade is nice, but the atmosphere is kind of warm, and it kind of prevents burn out. But I’ve also walked a long trail along cliffs in the hot sun, and I kind of went zombie/robot mode. One function: walk straight ahead on the path, briskly. For two miles. It is tiring, but I think adventurous people enjoy it because they like exploring the world, and hiking trails offer interesting sights and different pathways to pick from
Load More Replies...Watch The Shows Your Kids Watch
Maintain Your Fatherly Physique
🎵When you get heartburn, nausea, indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea...🎵
Reach for pepto bismol... *starts dancing to music*
Load More Replies...Legit lowkey staring at my dad, walking around, whose tryin' to walk around and get rid of the heartburn from consuming some laddoos, CASHEWnuts, homemade chilly based curry, rotis, juices and what not
Nothing wrong with a Dad Bod. I’m married to one of them, and let me tell you, his belly is incredibly comfortable to lay my head on when watching TV. I have fallen asleep on it several times. As long as he’s healthy—-and I’ll do everything I can to keep him that way—-I don’t care that his body isn’t what’s considered perfect these days, which is generally unattainable for people who don’t have the time to work out all day, or the money to pay personal trainers, nutritionists, and chefs. My husband is the handsomest man in the world to me, and I think his body is perfect perfect. That’s all that really matters (I already said as long as he’s healthy).
I see nothing wrong here. Microwave breakfast sandwich in the morning. Pepperoni pizza at night. And a chocolate croissant for dessert!
Be Affectionate
"Biting's excellent. It's like kissing. Only there's a winner." - Idris, Doctor Who. I will never NOT have this quote handy. 😂
Model Good Sportsmanship
Share Your Expertise
Embrace Summer Fashion
Why is the arms not red. You wore gloves up to your biceps or smth? Shirtless?
Farmers tan means that the arms (usually lower arms) are more often exposed to sun, thus tanning and are more protected, but apparently he tried to tan everything on that last day and everything burned that wasn't already tanned, best I can figure lol
Load More Replies...Take Lots Of Pictures
That's because you see with emotions. The camera is just a data collector, no matter now good it is.
Load More Replies...Embrace Efficiency
I keep clicking on it and nothing happen.... Must be sold out !
Load More Replies...Get On Board With Making Meal Plans
Considering how much it costs, you might as well buy enough to eat off of for several days. My hubby and I can make $50 of Chinese food and its leftovers, including the two or three free small cartons of white rice that always accompany meals we order, into dinners all week long. We were both pretty poor when we first started out (long before we met), and we’ve both managed to retain the habit of stretching food—-leftovers—-into several meals. Back in the day we had to, or we went without (once we started advancing in our careers and making more money, it of course got easier). I mean, we DO treat ourselves periodically. We grilled some nice big ribeye steaks yesterday, but even they were the result of frugal habits. I only bought them in the first place because the store was running a really good special on them, so I paid way less than full price.
OMGOURDZ SAME... I order so rarely I end up getting everything I like and it's SO MUCH they give me bonus stuff and I 🤦♀️... I just need to order less food more often. 😅
Be Humble
Kids are magick, we did tell you that before we sent them up, didn't we?
not magick just magic. magick dosn’t work like that
Load More Replies...Go With The Good Ideas
Properly Manage Expectations
BBQ As Much As You Can
Erm… grilled pie?? And… grilled CONDIMENTS? Hummus is a condiment, no? Or should I have said grilled SAUCE…
he's gonna be the one getting 'grilled' pretty soon...
Load More Replies...Ah yes. Man + Fire + Food. TBH, my husband’s really good at barbecuing, so I don’t ind keeping an eye on the side dishes inside where it’s air conditioned, while he stands over hot flames outside in the muggy summer heat. Besides, what he brings in from the grill is ALWAYS incredibly yummy. He never tried to grill chocolate pie, though. And I’m glad of it.
As somebody with Arab heritage, hummus counts as breakfast, lunch, dinner, *and* dessert.
As somebody with Greek heritage I agree and thank the Arab world for this(and many other) blessing. Hummus... it's just *she's tear* 🥰
Load More Replies...Learn From Others
It really does. Being carefree means you can do what you want without fear of failure, which means you will be able to improve faster.
And sometimes, oddly, what you want is a clean house. Those are the rare times when housecleaning isn’t a chore.
Load More Replies...Prevent Overheating
Student take water guns into school to shoot random people. I was a victim the other day
Keep It Short
But Congress is a bunch of idiots who only enrich themselves and their chances for reelection.
Shockingly, you can pursue change actively and also belittle the f*cking asshats high up in many, many modern governments.
In one ear, out the other, making zero contact with anything in between. Ah yes, the teenage brain.
"Policy will never be perfect." Is not an excuse when certain politicians insist on making laws designed to hurt specific people, and then smile like it's supposed to be a good thing.
Be Practically Minded
Gamify Your Life
For anyone interested, who's willing to put in the work... many zoos and animal rescues WOULD LOVE your used tress. ESPECIALLY if they're still green. Elephants, goats, all sorts of animals can benefit from them. If they've past their prime some forest services can use them... but not many(especially those in wildfire areas don't want dead tress for obvious reasons) but in other areas beavers and the like really appreciate them.
Stay Caffeinated
The adult equivalent to a sippy cup didn't work, and this time it wasn't the kid's fault lol
2nd time spilled coffee comic. Spare time wasted on phone... brain thoughts preventing the naps. 🤔 ADHD dad perhaps? 😂
