I have never been superhero crazy in my life, but I do have a few superhero outfits. Because of course I do! 🙂
I have a Superman tshirt because it makes for a dead easy Halloween costume (seriously, it’s a suit with the shirt ripped open and a superman tshirt underneath).
I also have a Super Buzz costume that a friend made for me a long time ago (again for Halloween).
We also have a tickle trunk with random items including a Captain America and Iron Man mask.
Actually, you know what? After doing that quick inventory, it would seem IÂ am into superheroes; and it’s all because of my kids.
My sons have gone to superhero camps in the summer where they invented their own costumes and capes.
Children have a belief in the impossible. A full-blown, uncompromised, pure belief that you can shoot lasers from your eyes, a man in spandex can fly, and if you get bitten by a spider you’ll shoot webs from your wrists.
When they grow up they role play through these superhero scenarios acting as the ultimate saviour.
While superheroes have a variety of backstories and super powers, they all have one thing in common in the eyes of my boys: empathy.
They put the needs of others before themselves. They want to help. They want to give back. They want to make the world a better place. They want to care.
I’ll admit that I’m not too keen on the blow-’em-up-special-effects-fiestas that are superhero movies, but I love that my kids want to emulate the charity of these heroes.
And, if I get really lucky, I might have set enough of an example that my kids might want to be a little like me when they grow up. I mean even Darth Vader is a good guy in their eyes.
Dove Men+Care, long a supporter of dads and changing the definition of what it means to be a man, launched a new campaign this week called ‘My Dad, My Hero.’ It champions a wider definition of heroes by showing how dads’ moments of care are a sign of strength.
The 2014 Dove Men+Care ‘Care Makes A Man Stronger’ research project discovered that 88% of men believe taking care of their family makes them feel stronger.
It found 9 out of 10 men globally believe masculinity has evolved since their father’s generation, and that showing care is a sign of a man’s real strength.
94% of men say it is important to be a caring father and Dove Men+Care is paying tribute to the moments in real dads’ lives that demonstrate how their care, rather than traditional physical traits, truly defines them as a hero.
These are real videos of real dads showing how real moments are superhero worthy when it comes to care.
If we want a superhero our kids can look up to, they shouldn’t need to look farther than their father. And I’ve tried to make that a possibility for my boys.
For the past decade I’ve raised money for Team Diabetes. When it came to host a neighbourhood clothing drive to raise money for the cause, I solicited help from my boys. They donned their superhero costumes (Team D singlets) and demonstrated impressive feats of strength loading bags into the truck.
But the most impressive part of the day was the lack of complaints from them. They stood on the street for 3 hours, a long time for little kids. But they wanted to be there, because they wanted to help, because they cared.
In that moment, they were as powerful as any spandexed, flying, cape wearing, laser beam shooting movie star.
SPREAD CARE WITH A #REALSTRENGTH SUPERHERO IN YOUR LIFE
CONGRATS TO PRIZE WINNER: TOM S.
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Disclosure: This branded content is presented by Dove Men+Care.