Dad At The Doctor With His Son For The First Time Has No Idea How To Fill Out Forms Without Mom — 'I'm Living The Non-Default Parent's Nightmare'
The dad approaches being the non-default parent with humor, though he also apologizes for maintaining that role.
TikTok A dad who took his son to a medical appointment for the first time realized he had no clue how to fill out the required paperwork without the presence of his wife, who he referred to as the default parent.
When Justin Kellough took his 4-year-old son to the eye doctor, he barely knew enough information about his own child to complete the doctor’s forms.
Kellough posted his experience living the ‘non-default parent’s nightmare’ while at the doctor with his son.
“My wife sent me to the eye doctor for the first time with my son and I’m guessing. I know I should know more, but I don’t, I’m so sorry.”
Kellough was forced to guess the answers to most of the medical questions, estimating that his son first talked at “maybe 1,” and first walked on his own at “maybe 14 months.”
RELATED: Dad Who Says The 'Hardest Part' Of Co-Parenting Is 'Coming Home To Silence' Gets Supportive Response
When asked at what age his child’s hand preference was indicated, the dad responded, “I don’t even think default parents would know that.”
Psychology Today reports that filling the role of default parent “can be physically and emotionally taxing and can have negative consequences for one's partner and children.” The site also notes various ways to combat what they call Default Parent Syndrome, including practicing “effective communication, shared problem-solving, and seeking professional support.”
When it came time to answer the question of whether or not his son likes school, Kellough asked his son to provide the responses himself.
“Do you like school?” he asked his son. “You do? You complain about it all the time.”
Kellough was also faced with answering the question of whether his son rubs his eyes, to which he replied, “You rub your eyes all the time, I’m gonna say yes,” showing he’s not entirely oblivious to his kid’s behavior and needs.
As the list of questions continued, Kellough exclaimed, “This is awful. This is so hard. I’m starting to wonder why we’re even here, but Mommy sent us.”
In the caption to his post, Kellough wrote, "I tried my best.”
He acknowledged his lack of information on his own child, chalking it up to being the non-default parent.
While he wasn't being entirely serious, Kellough’s post shows the challenges of parenting, especially when you’re not the go-to parent for your child’s needs.
Most of the comments were supportive of Kellough’s parenting journey, with many self-proclaimed default parents noting that they wouldn’t have known the answers to those questions offhand, either.
One person commented, “It’s okay to be the default parent.”
A mom took the time to comment that as a stay-at-home mom whose husband works, she recognizes that “we both have different roles. That doesn’t mean he isn’t an amazing father.”
Kellough’s humorous post sheds light on the issue of default parenting, and while he was joking that he didn’t know the answers to the medical questionnaire, he showed up for the appointment, doing what his wife — the default parent — asked of him, and that’s a positive way for him to start involving himself more.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers celebrity gossip, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.