I am now "ELVIS"...or perhaps simply "Spineless Daddy", you decide!

So, I have been renamed. 

I used to come home and my 3-yr-old son would come running towards me screaming "daddy!" and leap into my arms. My heart would fill with affectionate fatherly feelings as I'd squeeze him tight.

But no longer. Now he comes running and says "Hey Elvis!"

And no, my name is not actually Elvis. In fact, neither "daddy" nor "Jeremy" are even close to "Elvis". And he's not talking about the cool Elvis who made females around the globe swoon with his song "A Big Hunk o' Love". Oh no, he's talking Elvis, Fireman Sam's firefighting partner (and if you haven't heard of that cartoon, you are clearly missing out). Here's a picture of us (I'm the one on the right):

Here's what my day looks like now: 

Are we on our way to the park? "Let's go Elvis!"

Did I just win a game we were playing? "Good job, Elvis!"

Is my son hungry? "Can I have a cookie, Elvis?"


"Elvis, can you wipe my bum?" (That one's self explanatory of course)

So I find myself pondering my fatherly authority here. Do I put a stop to this? Do I insist on utmost respect and that I be referred to as "oh most wonderful father?"  Or, do I embrace my new identity?

Fortunately I have noticed that when my son is in trouble and I put on my "I'm upset and going to discipline you eyes", Elvis and Sam mysteriously disappear. Poof. Gone. I am once again head of the household, with a perfectly behaved child at my side (that may be a slight exaggeration). So as I still have at least a smidgen of authority left, I guess I will grow a pair of sideburns like Elvis from Pontypandy, and take on this new identity of Firefighter Extraordinaire. 

I just hope he doesn't change his favorite show to Spongebob Squarepants, because I have to draw the line somewhere!