March 10, 2026
Paris, but make it diapers
On Being a Dad
Dadhood Is Like Paris? Internet Swoons, Then One Comment Starts a Dad Debate
TLDR: A writer compares fatherhood to a magical, ever-changing Paris and fans mostly melt—until one skeptic says parenting doesn’t make you an expert, sparking debate. The thread pivots from warm fuzzies to a real talk on supporting new dads, with some lighthearted Paris jokes keeping it breezy.
Writer Derek Thompson dropped a tender love letter to fatherhood—likening parenting to waking up in a Paris that rearranges itself every day—and the internet instantly turned into a proud-parent group chat. Fans called it beautiful, relatable, and poetic, with one veteran voice cheering, “He’s in for an incredible ride.” The “monster dad” bit—growling around the kitchen while a toddler demands “Mo’ah!”—had readers grinning like sleep-deprived ogres.
But then the vibe shifted. One sharp reply sliced through the croissant crumbs: “Having a child makes no one an expert on parenthood.” Cue the thread’s mood swing. Suddenly, the question wasn’t just about feelings—it was about authority. Who gets to define parenthood: the poet-dad, the seasoned parent, or nobody at all?
A deeper current ran underneath the gush and pushback. A volunteer “Father Advocate” chimed in with a stark reality check: many young men grow up without dads and are “ill-prepared for the role.” That turned the comment section into a mini town hall—part love fest, part wake-up call—with readers praising the essay’s heart while calling for better support for new fathers. Meanwhile, jokesters riffed on the Paris metaphor—diaper bags as carry-ons, the Louvre moving between nap cycles—proving that when it comes to parenting, everyone’s got a map and nobody’s sure where the streets meet.
Key Points
- •The essay is a personal reflection by Derek Thompson on early fatherhood, published on Substack on March 4, 2026.
- •Thompson argues parenthood cannot be accurately explained by combining other life experiences or analogies.
- •He uses Paris as a metaphor, describing a city that transforms daily to illustrate how parenting continually changes.
- •He cites Andrew Solomon’s line about a permanent relationship with a stranger, modifying it to “strangers” to emphasize constant novelty.
- •A second section begins with a vignette of playful role-play (“ogre” game) with his two-year-old, showing the dynamic, engaging aspects of parenting.