PhD student Ben Chapman excitedly sent me this picture last night of baby barf. First-time parents get excited about things like that, along with the color, frequency and aroma of baby poop.

First-time parent-to-be Amy got excited last night as I got to display my story-telling skills at the last pre-natal class of parents-to-be. The instructor asked for a volunteer, and someone volunteered me as the “most experienced” which meant, “the old guy.”

The book was Robert Munsch’s 1986, Love You Forever, one of the most popular children’s books ever, with some 8 million copies sold (my kids preferred The Paper Bag Princess, while I preferred Good Families Don’t, because it’s about farts).

I gave an animated telling of the story, complete with bad singing, based on years of practice, and because I’d seen Guelph-resident Munsch tell the story a few times. That was 20 years ago, and I was wearing the same hoodie (left)

Seeing as it’s Global Handwashing Day and in keeping with the kiddie theme, I note “United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassadors, The Wiggles, have created a catchy tune to help motivate millions of children worldwide to transform the mundane act of handwashing into an enjoyable habit, thereby improving hygiene and reducing the risk of disease.”

Here’s my parenting approach: kid, wash your damn hands.