{Originally published on the Busy Dad Blog.}

How do you define a parent? Of course, there’s the biological way, but if our celebrity counterparts have taught us anything this year, a forty pound DNA match and Bugaboo stroller a true parent does not make.
No, to be a real parent you need to get into character a tad more (ironic isn’t it?). How do you know when you’ve successfully crossed over and truly embraced the biggest role of your life?

Here’s my list:

1. You don’t know what you’d do if they never invented the phrase “we’ll see.” Who is the genius who thought of this? He or she should get a posthumous Nobel Peace Prize. It’s the platinum card of our parental phrase arsenal. Why? Because it allows you to defer the “no” (and the whining) to a later, more convenient time or locale. When a request is made, the answer “we’ll see” is a win-win. The child holds onto the hope that this request may still be granted, and therefore withholds all protest. The parent buys extra time, during which the child may forget about the request altogether, or you’ve made it home, where whining can be sufficiently contained.
2. Your currency reference shifts to Bionicle (or other) toys – In my younger days, the CD served as my go-to currency reference. “What? Sixty bucks for this shirt? I could buy like four CDs with that!” As I got older, it became rounds – “Aw man! I could have bought at least five rounds with that. I’m never playing blackjack again!” Now that my transformation is complete, my money bitching resembles something more like this: “What? $3.30 a gallon? That’s like 1/3 of a Bionicle!”

Originally posted on The Busy Dad Blog.

Editor’s Note: BusyDad is a master of parody. If you’ve never heard of or seen the show Iron Chef, this brief explanation will give you some background on what follows.

If memory serves me correctly… my newest
Iron Chef began his tutelage under legendary Iron Chef BusyDad in the summer of
2005. His journey into the culinary world began in BusyDad’s kitchen, honing
his creativity by finding ways to turn every kitchen utensil into a gun or a
spaceship.

As his apprenticeship progressed, this would-be chef cut his teeth by
helping his master cut green beans. With a butter knife. Perhaps his actual
teeth may have been a more effective tool for this, but an important lesson was
learned. Dull tools sharpen the mind.

And sharpen his mind he did, along with his craft. Known throughout culinary
circles as the catalyst for the “kid gourmet” movement, Fury has
dazzled critics and playgroups alike with his “rad” interpretation of
traditional fare.

Today, I welcome him to Kitchen Stadium as my newest Iron Chef. As
this is his debut battle, and seeing as he can’t reach the faucet, I have
decided to bring his master, Iron Chef BusyDad out of retirement today for a
very special tag team edition of IRON CHEF.

AND NOW, TODAY’S THEME INGREDIENT… FLOUR!
Allez Cuisine!

* * * *

Fukui: Oh! the Chairman has thrown us a curveball today by picking
flour as the theme ingredient! So basic, yet complex! Yes, yes. Let’s go to our
commentator on the floor, Ohta for some play-by-play.

(click title for more)