Bringing Up Dads

Tamika Washington used to love her dad's corny jokes and goofy inventions - but now that she's growing up, Ed's bubble hats, giant hot-dog car, and spectacular belly flops just make her want to hide. When her dad calls across the room at the school awards dinner, Tamika snaps, telling him she wishes Mom had come instead... and a crushed Ed slips out to wait in the car. Then her friend Gwen, whose own loud dad never misses her school events, warns that people take precious things for granted until they lose them - and the other kids reveal they think Ed is the fun one and wish their fathers were more like him. Called up to accept the science award, Tamika thanks the dad she believes is gone, only to discover he's been watching from the back the whole time. Father and daughter each admit they've been holding on to the wrong things, and at the pool Ed keeps his promise to skip the belly flop - so Tamika suggests they cannonball in together instead.

Found on A Date with Dad (and Other Calamities) Album 46 · 12 episodes

The run See every episode

0581 A Christmas Conundrum A well-meaning Christmas surprise at Whit's End sets off a chain of mistaken assumptions, as each friend scrambles to match a lavish gift no one may actually be giving them.

0582 Silent Night Stranded alone on Christmas Eve when a blizzard cancels his flight to a long-awaited family reunion, Whit finds his quiet house filling with memories of Christmases past.

0583 The Champ of the Camp While writing her memoir, Connie recounts the summer camp prank war that pitted her against a mysterious boy genius known only as Goggles.

0584 Dead Ends While searching for his long-missing father, Eugene follows a promising clue about the mysterious fax that led him to Africa - only to find that every answer raises harder questions about why his father has never come looking for him.

0585 The Poor Rich Guy A single Bible verse about camels, needles, and rich men sends the kids of Odyssey scrambling to save their wealthiest friends from heaven's fine print.

0586 A Cheater Cheated When a scandal-hungry radio host targets the Electric Palace's shady sales tactics, Bart Rathbone must scramble to learn honest customer service before his reputation - and his job - go up in smoke.

0587 Bringing Up Dads When his daughter decides she's too grown-up for his goofy antics, an embarrassing but devoted dad goes all-out to win back her laughter.

0588 Broken-Armed and Dangerous A broken arm and a broken blender leave two guilty consciences at Whit's End learning that owning up - and letting go - are both harder than they look.

0589 The Impossible With a make-or-break deadline looming, Whit's team races to finish an invention that could bring education - and faith - to children in India's most remote villages.

0590 Three O'Clock Call When silent phone calls start arriving at exactly three o'clock each day, a boy abandoned by his father dares to hope - while a visiting orphan prays he'll discover a Father who never leaves.

0591 Switch When two kids insist that adults have it easy, a forty-eight-hour family role swap puts them in charge of the money, the meals, and the bills.

0592 Now More than Ever When her best friend suddenly turns cold and secretive, Liz sets out to uncover what's really troubling the Straussberg household - and to learn what it means to stay a faithful friend.

0593 Around the Block While Connie struggles to write her own book about Odyssey, she discovers that helping others may be the key to helping herself.

Featured characters

Minor characters & crew 5 more roles

5 supporting roles

Gwen Kablonski Vanessa Marano Andrews Twin (a) Addison Hoover Andrews Twin (b) Alex Hoover Harvey Kablonski Wally Wingert School Award Presenter Actor Unknown

Made by

Chris Anthony Host Bob Hoose Writer · Director · Producer Glenn Montjoy Sound Designer · Producer Marshal Younger Producer Dave Arnold Executive Producer

The story

Read the full synopsis 3 min

Tamika Washington is beginning to feel that she has outgrown her father’s sense of fun. Ed still treats her like the little girl who once loved his corny jokes and strange inventions, but Tamika now worries constantly about what her friends think. When he gives her a hat that blows bubbles and accidentally fills the family car with them, she is mortified. Asked whether Ed is her father, she claims that he is only a crazy neighbor. Her friend Gwen sees through the lie and reminds her that fathers - and people in general - can be strange sometimes.

Elaine realizes that Ed does not understand why Tamika has become so sensitive. She explains that their daughter is growing up and that her interests are changing. Ed hears only that he may be losing the closeness they have always shared, and he becomes determined to plan a spectacular father-daughter day that will make her laugh again.

Ed borrows an enormous hot-dog-shaped promotional car and drives Tamika around town in it. He even expects her to ride in the relish seat while dressed like sauerkraut. Later, at the pool, he performs an attention-grabbing belly flop in front of her friends. Ed believes he is creating wonderful memories, but Tamika sees only people staring and laughing. She finally calls him weird, leaving him hurt and confused.

The tension continues when Tamika learns that Elaine cannot accompany her to the school’s parent-student awards dinner because she must lead a women’s retreat. Tamika begs not to go with Ed and complains that he never understands her. Elaine firmly reminds her that Ed is kind, faithful, loving, and one of the best fathers she could have. His embarrassing plans may be misguided, but they have all come from his desire to spend time with his daughter.

At the dinner, Tamika and Ed sit with Gwen and her father, Harvey Kablonski. Harvey is loud, enthusiastic, and especially excited about the roast beef. Gwen admits that he is not comfortable at such events, but since her mother died, he has made a point of attending the school activities that matter to her. She does not resent his awkward jokes. She knows he has rearranged his life because he loves her.

When Ed calls across the crowded room about roast beef, Tamika again feels everyone watching. She accuses him of embarrassing her all the time and says that she wishes Elaine had come instead. Crushed, Ed decides that Tamika should remain for the important evening while he waits in the car. He slips away after asking her to bring him some roast beef.

Tamika soon discovers that the other students have not been mocking Ed at all. They think his belly flops and hot-dog car make him fun, and some wish their own fathers acted more like him. Gwen says that her father may seem weird to other people, but he is just right for her. She also warns that people often take precious things for granted until they lose them. Her words force Tamika to see Ed’s devotion from a different point of view.

Tamika is called forward to receive the school’s science award. Standing before everyone, she thanks Ed for all the late nights he has spent helping with her projects and regrets that he is not there to hear her. Afterward, she finds him and learns that he secretly returned to watch from the back. The school had told him about the award the week before, and nothing - not even his wounded feelings - could make him miss her moment.

Tamika apologizes, while Ed admits that he has been clinging to the games that used to delight her because he does not want her to grow up too quickly. He promises to change along with her and to avoid bubble hats, wild yells, and belly flops around her friends. Tamika recognizes that she has also become too concerned with appearances. She tells him that God has helped her see that Ed is just the right father for her, and she produces the roast beef she remembered to save for him.

The next time they visit the pool, Ed refuses the other children’s request for another giant belly flop because of his promise. Tamika offers a compromise: they can perform a cannonball together. Father and daughter leap into the water side by side, discovering that growing up does not mean they have to stop having fun together.