Dad

I didn’t give myself the title of Really Cool Dad. It was one of my son’s friends that honoured me with that title, following a simple moment of looking at—and honestly appreciating— some elementary school art. The comment made both my son and I smile, and I will confess it also lodged firmly in my heart. Now I simply try to keep living up to that standard.

This blog is dedicated to celebrating Really Cool Dads (I see a number of great dads around me), and shaming the stereotypes and silliness from those who celebrate the outdated notion of fatherhood; the Neanderthal Dad. (And, sadly, I still see too many of these around me, too.)

On October 14th, 2011, while speaking at Interesting Vancouver, I introduced my own Manifesto for the Really Cool Dad; a collection of ideas and attitudes that have been my touchstone since becoming a father. People responded well—better than I expected, to be honest. Some even said they were inspired. I am happy to share, and if it inspires a few more people, then future generations will all get the benefit of some Really Cool Dads.

This is where the blog started.

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I am Stephen Abbott. In my daily life, I balance my time between being a paramedic and a consulting brand strategist. I have never done both at the same time, but I’m sure I could if needed. As a paramedic, if you call 9-1-1 when I’m on shift, I’ll show up and take care of you. Simple enough. Most people aren’t sure exactly what a Brand Strategist does, however, in the words of my son (when he was 4), I write stories, draw pictures and go to meetings. That is surprisingly accurate.

I also like to talk, lecture, teach, or generally inspire people to do good things, and people say I am good at it. If you need someone to speak to or speak with your group, I would be happy to talk about what I believe it takes to be a Really Cool Dad, and why it’s important. Or I can talk about brand strategy. Or emergency medicine. Just ask.

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Food—cooking it, eating it, sharing it, loving it—is a big part of our family atmosphere. It would be very easy to turn most of the posts in this blog into foodie posts, but that wouldn’t be true to the goal of Really Cool Dads. Instead, take a look at Really Cool Cooks, a celebration of all kinds of comfort food experiences. Admittedly, I don’t write here often enough.

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Read my disclosure policy.