The internet can’t get enough of this dad, who documented everything he does to set his wife up for success before he leaves on a work trip
Parenting is one of those things that’s just so much easier when it’s a two-person job. That means that when one parent is heading out of town on a work trip, the other is likely to have some serious slack to pick up. But one dad is going viral on TikTok for showing how he helps mitigate that for his partner, and basically, the whole internet is (rightfully) swooning.
Mason Smith (@dadsocial on TikTok) made the video showing all the steps he takes to get things ready before he goes on a work trip for a few days. He starts by going to the store, where he picks up some crafts and activities for his two daughters, wine and coffee for mom, and some easy meals for the family to enjoy while he’s gone (we peep the Olive Garden breadsticks in that cart, and we approve).
After he gets home, Smith really gets to work. He does the dishes and cleans the kitchen. He organizes a closet. He picks up around the house. He finishes and folds multiple loads of laundry. He packs his own bag for his trip (did we mention we’re swooning?). And, to top it all off, he sets out all the treats he bought for his family on the kitchen island, complete with handwritten notes to his wife and their daughters. I mean.
@dadsocial We all know who has the harder job over the next two days… MomsRock girldad husband
♬ Could Have Been Me – Halsey
What’s even more striking is that Smith does all these things with a huge smile on his face. He doesn’t seem like he’s begrudgingly doing some chores—he is delighted to. And that’s the energy we need from dads and husbands in the year of our lord 2023.
In the comments, a lot of wives and moms were pretty gobsmacked that it can be like this.
“I think mines broken,” one wrote. Another added, “Wait This exists? We don’t have to parent our husbands??? I’m confused.”
Smith replied to that one, “Y’all deserve even more! 😭” and like, we can’t disagree.
Here’s the thing: Smith’s behavior should be the rule, not the exception. But we know it’s not. Study after study after study shows that in heterosexual relationships, women do the vast majority of the household and childcare labor, even when both parents have full-time jobs. Let Smith be an example of something better, and let’s make this the standard that we hold all partners to.
