Little Boy Who Asked For A Barbie Party Is Delighted To See His Dad Dressed As Ken At His All-Pink Birthday Celebration
He's more than Kenough.
Thirdman / Pexels The role of a parent in their child’s life is multifaceted. Parents are protectors and providers, role models, and educators. Ultimately, a parent should be able to guide their child through a world that’s big and often overwhelming, loving them for exactly who they are.
One single dad showed up for his son in a major way by encouraging his interests and centering his happiness, despite what anyone else thought.
A little boy who asked his dad for a Barbie party was overjoyed when his dad dressed as Ken at his all-pink birthday celebration.
When Christian Shearhod’s son told him that he wanted a Barbie party, the single dad reacted in the most supportive way possible: By giving the young boy exactly what he asked for, with no judgment attached.
Shearhod posted the party on TikTok, showing off pink tablecloths and pink balloons, along with his son’s pink Barbie-themed shirt and his own spot-on Ken costume.
Shearhod-as-Ken presented a Barbie Dream House cake to the birthday boy, who wore his dad’s fur coat as he blew out the candles.
When the heart-shaped piñata burst to reveal pink lollipops, the kids shrieked with joy, highlighting an essential truth of childhood: That kids just want to be themselves and have fun in the process.
The look of joy on his son’s face showed exactly what the single dad is doing right: Accepting his son for the person he’s becoming, without forcing him to be anything but himself.
Photo: nastykrause / Shutterstock
Shearhod was praised in droves in the comments section, as followers noted how happy he’d made his son, and what a great dad he is.
“This boy is living his best life with no judgment,” one person said. “This is the childhood I wish I had. Thank you for just letting him enjoy what he likes!”
“You are legit the best dad,” someone else said. “Thanks for being the change you want to see in the world.”
Shearhod expressed his gratitude for the supportive words, responding, “I’m doing my best! Trying to raise a kind, compassionate young man, who’s confident being himself.”
Shearhod showed how he's raising his son to defy rigid, damaging gender roles and have empathy for everyone.
In a separate TikTok post, he sat with his son in his lap as they played a game of Shearhod’s own invention: “Is it for boys or girls?”
He showed a picture of a toy dump truck and then asked his son if it was for boys or girls.
“For boys,” his son answered. Shearhod then asked, “If a girl wanted to play with the truck would you let her? Would you share?” His son nodded, smiling.
He asked his son if nail polish was for boys or girls and his son told him, “It’s for boys and for girls.”
Shearhod affirmed this answer, saying, “Sometimes dad paints his nails, sometimes you paint his nails, and that’s okay.”
“I paint your nails and I paint my nails,” his son said.
Photo: Ron Lach / Pexels
When he asked if dresses were for boys or girls, his son responded that they were for girls.
“Now, most of the time, dresses are for girls,” Shearhod said. “You see people, and if they have a dress on, most of the time it’s a girl.”
“But boys can like those,” his son interjected.
“Boys can like them too!” Shearhod exclaimed, clearly proud of his son’s open mind. “If you see somebody who’s a boy wearing a dress, should you be mean to them?”
“No,” his son answered casually, then showed off the happy-face stamp on his hand.
Shearhod is doing the work, and that work isn’t particularly easy. By breaking apart the rigid definitions of what it means to be a boy or a man, this devoted dad is paving the way for his son to lead a life full of joy and compassion, for himself and others.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.