Welcome 2026! An Opportunity to Refresh our Priorities as Fathers
If you’re an elder millennial like myself, you might remember that by 2026 we were supposed to be living in a very different world. According to Demolition Man (1993), we’d be using cryogenic freezing prisons. Barb Wire (1996) predicted a second American Civil War. The Simpsons even forecast Lisa Simpson as President.
Other than the wrong Simpsons character occupying the Oval Office, daily life feels far closer to Leave It To Beaver than T2: Judgment Day. The biggest upgrade is that instead of copying the smart kid’s homework, Wally and The Beav would now just “ask their AI chatbot.”
The point I’m trying to make is this: 2026 turned out far better than the dystopian futures we grew up expecting—though yes, we are long overdue for the first female U.S. president. Honestly, my air fryer could probably do a better job than what we’re currently subjected to. It’s a 9-in-1, but its tenth feature could easily be “not causing global chaos with every social media post.”
Anyway, this is supposed to be a parenting column. For some, a new year is a chance to reset and try new habits. For others, it’s about sweatpants and watching college football bowl games straight through January. I’m not here to tell you which one to choose. But if I were YOUR dad, I’d tell you two things.
First: make time to play outside with your kids this winter. Bring the dog. These snowy moments—toboggans, snow pants, hot chocolate—are annoyingly cold but unforgettable. You only get so many of them.
Second: take a minute to remember what really matters. Sure Demolition Man didn’t win best picture in 1993, but Unforgiven was an excellent choice. And you can make excellent choices too. A little less Social Media rage bait taking. A little earlier bedtime. A bit more exercise and a few more vegetables. Remembering all behaviour from our children is probably normal, and a form of communication. It all helps.
So let’s be grateful we don’t have to chase down a bleach-blonde super-criminal like Stallone did in ’93—and let’s work a little more kindness, patience and gratitude into our everyday lives. Our kids will never forget your commitment to them or to being your best self either.
Jeremy McCall is a married father of 3, a social services case manager, and known as “The Dadfather”, being the founder and Past President of Dad Club London.
