All dads are cool, of course, but not as cool as Yours Truly. Just ask my sons. Don't believe me? Here are 10 reasons why my sons, aged 10 and seven, think I'm 'The Coolest Dad in the World'.
1. I head-bang to Status Quo in the car at full volume. And they join in!
2. I went to see The Eagles on Monday and danced in the aisles along with a couple of thousand other middle-aged, overweight hippies. When I told my boys, they said I was awesome.
3. I wear my late mother's baseball cap to keep the sun out of my eyes – and they fight for who gets to wear it next because I look like a 'Dude'.
4. They find my conversations about different types and textures of cheese riveting. They really do, proven by their frequent questions. ('What's your favourite cheese today, Dad?' 'What's your favourite cheese of all time?' 'How much cheese do you think you've eaten in your life?' 'Why do you feet smell of cheese?' etc etc).
5. They want to know where I bought my off-green-coloured fleece or whether it was given to me by their granddad.
6. They think I'm better at football than Lionel Messi because I frequently beat them in the park (ditto bowling, Monopoly, Wii tennis etc etc).