- Are you the first or second funniest in the family?
- First.
- Not a chance.
(Orin chuckling)
First, right here.
Alright.
- Do your best impression of me.
And we both have to do it.
- My best impression of you?
- Yes.
(laughing) It's gonna be hilarious.
- Hmmmm, I'm just trying to think of the best one.
'Cause there's a lot of Orin impressions.
I'm lost.
I don't know.
I don't want you to get your feelings hurt.
Would you get your feelings hurt
if I did an impression of you?
- No.
- You're sure?
- Yes.
- Okay.
(Orin laughing)
Hey Dad,
(Orin laughing)
I know you're working, but hey Dad.
Hey Dad.
(Orin laughing)
Hey Dad.
(Orin laughing)
Look at this great game.
(Orin laughing)
Is that you?
- Accurate. - Okay, alright.
Is that spot on?
- Now I do an impression of you.
- What's your impression of you?
- No -
- Oh, you're doing it of me?
- Yeah.
- Are you sure? - Yeah.
- Okay, go ahead.
- Work, work, work, work.
- Oh okay, so the total opposite.
I'm always working and you're always bothering.
- Yep.
- Okay.
Good.
Least we're on the same page on that one.
What's something you think we should do more of?
- I mean, it's probably obvious.
- It's your answer, buddy.
- More time together because you're always working.
- Oh yeah?
- Yeah
- Do you -
Do you think that
Mom
being able to stay home all the time with you,
and have time with at least one parent
is nice?
Or would you just want more time with me?
- Honestly, it's kind of both.
I like spending time with Mom,
and I wish I could spend more time with you.
- Cool.
- What's something you've learned as a father
that you knew as a child?
- That I knew or didn't know as a child?
- It says, it said - oh, that you wish you knew
as a child.
- Just how much responsibility
another tiny person
is
and what they become,
because there's so much
to being a parent.
It's what we tell your sisters,
like, think really long and hard
before you decide to be an adult.
Cause you know, we,
I became a dad at 20.
Right?
I was still a kid
having a kid.
So, what I know now is how much work
and love and effort that goes into being a parent.
And I tell other people,
like my 10 year old son,
enjoy being a kid.
Don't try to grow up too fast
because adulting is difficult.
What are you most excited for in the new year?
- Everything going away, and COVID going away,
and that I can get outside without wearing a mask,
and it's gonna be better for school.
- But you don't like outside.
- No, I just, I like, I don't like, see -
I don't like bugs,
and like,
I'm fine with the outside, just not with forests and -
- And bugs.
- And like, wild environments.
What's the hardest thing
about being my dad,
that I may not realize?
- Ooh, that's a really good question.
The hardest thing about being your dad
is always worrying about
how kids treat you at school.
All the time, every day.
Because
I am an adult,
and it is against the law to harm children.
But when they're mean to you, or they bully you,
or they're not nice to you,
that makes me very angry.
Very upset.
Because I want everybody to see you like I see you, right?
Like an awesome, smart, intelligent, funny,
you know, little boy that you are,
that's growing into a young man.
Like you got your little blazer on here.
But it's hard when you can't control other people.
So, that's what I get upset about
or worry about.
So, if
you could change anything
or improve anything about our family,
what would it be?
It could be adding something, too.
- Hmmmm.
There's not much wrong with the family.
- Well, that's good.
- Like people not on their phones as much?
- Mmm.
- Cause I just wanna hangout with the family
most of the time.
- Now, just so we're clear,
that includes you, right?
- Yeah 'cause -
- You're on your phone a lot
- But I just check notifications
or just do something 'cause I'm bored
and I just want to hang out,
but no one wants to hangout with me,
so, I'm just playing a game.
- I hangout with you.
- Most of the time you're on work.
- Oh, well, if I'm not working.
- But then again, you're on your phone
on Facebook or something.
- Oh.
- Like Mom is.
- That's good for me to hear.
- When you think about the first time we met,
what do you remember feeling?
- What was it?
When you think about the first time we met?
- Yeah, so when I was born, basically.
- Oh, exactly, when you were born.
Joy,
excitement,
and fear.
- Why fear?
- Because you were very early.
You were premature,
and your lungs weren't working properly,
so you had to go to the NICU.
- What have you learned from me that changed you?
- Mmm.
That was when you were diagnosed with autism,
when you were four.
I learned that
your brain, and your personality,
and the way you do things
is very different and unique,
especially from me.
But, it taught me a lot about perspective,
and how I look at things
and how I parent,
and just things I need to be more patient with
and cognizant of.
So, you help me with that.
What makes us family?
- You're super literal, so,
I have a feeling I know where this one's going.
- Love
- Love?
Wow.
You surprised me with that answer.
- How?
- 'Cause usually,
you're very literal and say, "because you're my dad."
(Chad chuckling)
- Why do you love me?
- Should I be super literal
on this one?
- You can if you want to.
(Chad chuckling)
- Because you are the greatest kiddo -
I'm not gonna say greatest kiddo,
'cause your sisters will get upset.
The greatest little boy on this planet.
You have so many great attributes.
You're smart.
You're funny.
You have great manners.
You love everyone with your whole heart.
You love hard, right?
So,
everybody knows where they're at with you.
You love
Cash.
So, you treat everyone in our family,
all the way down to our fur kid,
you treat him with a lot of love
and just play with him all the time.
So, you just,
you're a great kid.
I love everything about you.
- Hey, it's Ashaka here from The Skin Deep.
We really appreciate you being here
and watching this conversation.
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