I’ve been Netflix bingeing and my most recent favourite series sadly came to an abrupt end. I wasn’t emotionally prepared for it and I found I was pretty devastated. I was completely mesmerized by the world of advertising and realized something unexpected. Working in a nostalgic ad agency is a lot like raising kids.
Parenting is full of surprises – how you handle them largely determines how much fun you have
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Not all surprises are bad – but if there’s an extended period of complete and suspicious silence, it’s probably a good idea to take a peek and make sure nothing crazy is going down.
Covert communication can be tricky
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Between spelling things and sign language, it can be hard to formulate a plan or come to a consensus in front of the kids on the down low.
Kids can really impact your decor
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Remember the classy furniture you used to own? Remember when the carpet was white and not beige with purple juice splotches? Having children involves a lot of redecorating and people without kids don’t always understand your design concept.
You have to practice being Zen
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You don’t need the whole world to sing in harmony, but it would be nice if they could pick a movie without killing each other. Breathe in and out and let go of your expectations.
When your kids try to tell you a story you know isn’t true
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When your kids try to play the games you invented long before they were ever born. Do they really think they’re pulling the wool over anyone’s eyes? Who do they think they’re fooling?
When strangers offer unsolicited parenting advice
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Yes, my kid is having a rough moment. No, I don’t need you to interrupt it to tell me how I’m doing it wrong. Sometimes, you need to find your own way with your own kid.
When someone tells you how well behaved your kids are on a play date
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It feels good to hear they behaved well in public and used their pleases and thankyous, and someone thinks you had something to do with how well they turned out.
When your kids want to discuss Minecraft
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I love that my kid plays Minecraft. He learns so much from it. I don’t, however, want to hear about it 24/7. Sometimes you have to change the conversation.
Ad agencies in the 60s and 70s had their own culture, expectations, and challenges, much like parenting. A lot of parenting is about packaging the message you want them to receive or the broccoli you want them to eat, in such a way that they are excited about it.
In a way, we’re all copywriters and it’s an exciting time to be alive!
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