On Role Models and their credibility

So maybe this is a tad premature to come back to Blogtown only a day before an ultrasound appointment that will let me hear my unborn child's heartbeat for the first time, but so be it. I'll just have to make a quicker return visit.

While I love Homer Simpson and Peter Griffin as characters that make me laugh, I can't often say that they're ideal role models. That being said, a few nights ago, I joked with Amanda that I was going to be the dad that disciplined completely incongruously. "What, you got caught shoplifting?? Well, you're gonna have to smoke a whole carton of cigarettes, see how you like it!" The next night (or maybe even that night), we sat down to watch some Family Guy, and dern if Peter didn't do the exact same thing with Chris, subbing (I think) wrecking his dirtbike for shoplifting. So I can't be too far off, right?

[I've obviously turned down a dangerous road in Blogtown, one that opens the door to my reference-heavy world. However, I just remembered that we named this blog after a Simpsons reference, so all is well and right.]

Jumping tangentially to The Simpsons, I see that there ARE examples (in both series, really) where the fathers do get it right. Case in point, Homer learns that Bart had in fact been caught Shoplifting: "How _could_ you?! Haven't you learned anything from that guy who gives those sermons at church? Captain Whatshisname? We live in a society of laws. Why do you think I took you to all those 'Police Academy' movies? For fun? Well, I didn't hear anybody laughing! Did you?!"

Seriously folks, Steve Guttenburg is a lucky man.

But no, seriously folks, my number one role model will most assuredly be my own father, who, against all seeming evidence to the contrary, had NEVER DONE THIS before my brother was born. Guy sure seemed like a pro. And that's what gives me hope: knowing that generation after generation has been raised by rank amateurs, with varying degrees of success. I'm sure I'll also look to my older brother Jake as well, for a more modern take on the Rutter style.

But then again, who am I kidding? I know dern well that I will more likely end up like Calvin's father (of Calvin & Hobbes fame): when Calvin asked his father where babies come from, he was told that most people assembled babies from a kit that could be purchased at Sears. Calvin's father told his son that he was a "Blue Light Special at Kmart, almost as good and a lot cheaper."
In another instance, Calvin can be heard to remark to his mother: "I take it there's no qualifying exam to be a dad."

Not as such, no. But as far as Amanda and her ever-embiggening can attest, I've crossed the first of many hurdles. I'm just hoping, many many trials and tests later, that my exit interview is satisfactory.