If you're a dad, you've probably experienced this

If you’re a dad, you’ve probably experienced this:

You’re lugging between two and ten bags (or, horror of horrors, a car seat) through an airport. Your kids are around you and you’re constantly worried one of them will run off because, due to the luggage you’re carrying, if they did there’d be nothing you could do except call after them.

You’ve been traveling, so you already look disheveled. And now, you’re making the walk of shame through the airport.

Then, it happens. You make eye contact with another man. He squares his shoulders and you can see the sympathy in his eyes. You notice a child holding his hand. He gives you one, short nod. And suddenly, you stand a little taller, the bags get a little lighter, and the kids settle down.

Sometimes, all it takes to provide some needed encouragement is an acknowledgment that we’ve all been there. Especially if you have young kids, it can feel like the needs never go away. But seeing a dad who’s survived, who made it to the other side of having little kids, and gives a knowing nod, is almost like hearing someone say, “You’ve got this. I know it’s tough, but we’ve all been there and you’ll make it.”

Part of why we developed Dad Mode cleaning products is to help connect with dads and let them know that we all get how tough it is when you have little kids.

The housework still needs to be done and you feel like you and your wife haven’t had a real, adult conversation in years. But by acknowledging the difficulty and offering a product to make getting housework done feel a little more masculine, we want to encourage dads that you will make it and that we all have felt that difficulty.

Whether it’s struggling to find time to connect with your wife or trying to find time with your kids, cleaning can be something that offers an opportunity to show your family you love them. It can also communicate to your wife that you see everything that needs to be done and want to offer some of your time and energy to keep the household above water.

The broader goal of our brand is to help dads connect with their wives and be more present for their kids. Take this as your nod from a fellow dad.

You can do this. You will make it. And your house will be clean in the process.