This Dad Has Become a Master of “Horizontal Parenting”

Parents rarely get an opportunity to relax and do nothing. When they are not taking care of their kids, they are doing other chores. But one dad figured out a genius way to keep his kids entertained and get some badly-needed rest.

Instagram user Elkey Zandstra recently shared a series of clips in which she showcased how her husband, William, became a master of “horizontal parenting.” For those unfamiliar with the term, horizontal parenting refers to situations in which parents are able to remain engaged with their kids while lying down.

William decided to take horizontal parenting to a whole new level, coming up with all sorts of games that would allow his kids to have fun and give him the opportunity to snooze or simply recharge by doing nothing.

One of those games saw William turn himself into an Operation board game. He made a cardboard copy of the human body, created various organs, and then cut the holes in the cardboard where the organs should go. He then got himself comfortable on the floor, placed the cardboard on top of himself, and instructed the kids to try and place organs in their right place. He would occasionally complain if they made mistakes.  

Besides this “advanced” version of horizontal parenting, William also turned himself into a toy that produced animal sounds, served as a coffee table, and acted as a surface for the zen garden.