Thingamababy posted a great piece this morning about what the Star Wars Dad who made the AT-AT stroller mod represents for a new era of engaged fatherhood. It really nails what this much-hyped event points to, galaxies beyond the particular passion that generated so much interest. Better yet, it includes extreme close-up shots of many of the finer details of the stroller which have not yet seen the light of day. My favorite, snagged from Thingamababy’s post, is below: the view baby Reed has of the snow speeder mobile, which his father thoughtfully decorated with vibrant colors and simple shapes. To me, that attention to detail and to his child’s needs speaks volumes about how Rick Russo went about the project and what lies in store for his son through many years of great Geekdad parenting.
Anyone with enough time on their hands and a serious fan passion could create an AT-AT stroller. How many of them would laugh while their infant son gleefully knocks its carefully crafted head off?
If you’re ready to share the Force with your own infant or toddler, the official Star Wars Kids website is a surprisingly relevant place to start. Many film-franchise websites have an airtight view of what can and should be done with its image, but Lucasfilm clearly has an inside track on the nature of true fandom. Check out their crafty hammerhead sock puppet plans and the coloring pages that don’t spit out error messages when your daughter makes Yoda pink.
If you’re looking for something premade or just browsing for inspiration, there are around 400 toy listings on Amazon that fall into the 2-4 age range. Or you can get a head start and dress your infant son or daughter as Darth Vader next Halloween.
But the real question Thingamababy poses is not whether you’ll find ways to celebrate your own fandom for this or that in every corner of your life, but this: What are your passions, and how will you share them with your child? It’s a challenge and an opportunity engaged Dads, geek or no, strive to live up to on a daily basis.
