Learner Dad: My wife reckons I'm a classic Fun Dad

'My kids are two lovely, well-behaved people, most of the time. Any time I compliment another parent on their well-behaved child in public, the answer is always the same — 'you should see them at home''

Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) in a scene from Modern Family. Picture: Getty 

I had a run-in with my son the other day. In my defence, it’s been a while coming. In his defence, I was tired and cranky and he didn’t do anything that bad.

We were back after a longish drive and he started whingeing about the taste of the water from the filter jug. He’s got a really good whingeing voice, it’s a thing of beauty, one that scratches away at the inside of my brain .