Being Dad

Are you a hip or square dad?

Hip dad
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Written by Tim Barnes-Clay

Are you a bit of a fuddy-duddy stuck in your ways? Let’s find out if you are a hip or square dad.

Can you remember being embarrassed by your parents when you were a kid because they did or said something that seemed uncool in front of your friends? Or were your parents so tragically hip that they brought a totally different brand of awkwardness? Chances are you would have had your fair share of parent-induced cringeworthy moments. But now that you are a dad, how do you think your offspring see you? Are you a cool dad who is down with the kids?

What format of music do you listen to?

This is a difficult category to define. There was a time when hanging on to your 1970s and 80s vinyl collection and spinning them on your vintage turntable would have had you labelled as a bit of an anorak. Kids in the 90s would have been embarrassed by your dedication to LPs and cassettes and your reluctance to embrace the compact disc.

The good news is, like many trends, you have come back into fashion. Spinning vinyl is now cool as hell and you might find your kids borrowing your old 33s and showing them off to their mates. Sometimes the old school goes full circle and right now, you are a bit of a hipster so make the most of your newfound edginess.

Are you good with gadgets?

If you still think a mobile telephone is just for making phone calls, you are definitely from the old school. The fact you have a mobile phone at all must’ve been a big step for you, and smartphones probably leave you feeling cold. However, if you feel like your life has been stripped bare when you leave the house without your phone, or your kids are jealous of your latest upgrade, then you are definitely in the hip squad.

But what about games? If someone says: Do you fancy a game of bingo? Do you imagine trudging down to a tired old bingo hall on a Sunday night and listening to the bingo caller shout numbers off balls that have been air-blasted out of a Perspex box? Or do you imagine whipping out your top-of-the-range tablet and enjoying a colourful and fun-packed night playing a whole host of games on the Lucky Pants bingo site? If it’s the latter (and if you actually own a pair of lucky pants), then you have your finger right on the pulse.

What do you wear?

Okay, you have to be careful here. Dressing head to toe in beige or looking like you have just wandered off the local golf course will make you as square as they come, but dressing like your kids is also a no-no and won’t get you any props from the young’ uns.

But if you take pride in your appearance, wear good quality jeans, shirts and polos teamed with a nice pair of ankle boots or even a pair of New Balance trainers, your kids might just manage a nod of approval.

If you are still not sure if you are hip, casually chuck on a well-cut blazer to complete the smart-casual daddy-cool look. What do those kids know anyway?