Disneyland Dad

I was asked to explain what a Disneyland Dad was.

While their are much better writings and explanations than this out in the Internet, here is my description of being a Disneyland Dad.

~Tom

A Disneyland dad is a dad who basically sees his children 4 days a month.

The time with his children is so limited that he tries to make the most of it by making memories through planned events.

Going to the water park, a shopping spree, an amusement park, Disneyland or whatever.

Every visit by the children is an “event”.

Your time so limited and your desire to have a good time and “make memories”, to see smiles on their faces and make the most of your time so the weekends are filled with as much “fun” activity as you can possible fit in or afford.

2 days go by very quickly and then it is 2 long weeks again until you see them again.

You are not part of their daily routine. You don’t help them get ready in the morning. You don’t help them nightly with their homework, or have dinner with them and discuss their day, you don’t enforce their bedtime or tuck them in at night.

A Disneyland dad misses the important things in life with his children, the every day connection that is so important for maintaining a parent/child relationship.

A Disneyland dad is more like an uncle or grandparents.

We all know how grandparents are always spoiling their grandchildren.

A Disneyland dad does the same.

You don’t see them often and so when you do see them you try to make those days like Disneyland for them.