What Robin Williams can teach us about parenting.

One of my favorite movies growing up was Mrs. Doubtfire.

Many of the iconic scenes in the film were improvised. That scene of whipped cream melting off Robin Williams face “wasn’t supposed to happen”, but he made the most of it, coming up with funny fitting lines on the spot. WIlliam’s improvised so much the movie could have been a full 30 minutes longer if his lines weren’t cut out.

Life as a parent is going to throw all kinds of wacky stuff your way. You are going to have to roll with the punches. When the whipped cream starts melting off your face, you’re going to have to come up with a line or two to get you through.

You might have a picture in your head, especially early on, of how this fatherhood thing is “supposed” to go.

You can’t help but envision the future. Reality can’t help but fail to match up.

Life will throw you a whole different set of circumstances.

You cannot be prepared for every scenario.

You aren’t going to know how to handle every squabble between your kids.

You’re going to have to make dinner without all the right ingredients.

That backpacking trip might turn into a car camp out.

Yes, we should be disciplined and do our best. Live by our values. But we aren’t always going to know what the best thing to do is. We’re going to have to improvise.

I’m not saying you should deceive everyone in your life, dressing like an old british lady to spend more time with your kids post divorce. But you should make the best of whatever life has for you.

For the control freaks among us (I count myself in among that number, to some extent), that’s going to be a little intimidating. Remember fatherhood is a role you play. Stay in character and throw out your next best line. What would Robin WIlliams do?

Lesson: Roll with the punches. You won’t always get parenting perfect, or even “right”. That’s not the point. Keep playing your role and do the best possible job you know how.