Parenting Goals: Gus Walz (and His Dad) Steal the Show & What We Can Learn From the Walz Family by Ann Marie G. Halstead

The Democratic National Convention (DNC) took place in Chicago, with an impressive lineup of speakers including President and Michelle Obama, President Clinton, Former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Former Rep. Gabby Giffords and President Biden. The energy of the DNC convention was palpable and there were plenty of memorable moments. But arguably the most memorable moment took place on night three when Gov. Tim Walz took the stage. As Coach Walz accepted the Democratic Nomination for Vice President, his son Gus stood up, pointed to his father, and with tears streaming down his face proudly yelled, "I love you, Dad!" followed soon after with, "That’s my dad!" This was clearly an unscripted, unexpected and authentic moment. Following the candidate’s remarks, Gus joined the rest of the Walz family on stage, wrapping his father in what can only be described as a bear hug.

The moment seemed to resonate with audience members and viewers alike; indeed, the video footage quickly went viral. Just three simple words melted the hearts of countless Americans. For many it was a highlight of the convention and a positive reflection on Gov. Walz. In fact, Sen. Amy Klobuchar commented, "You know you’ve done well as a parent when your kids are as proud of you as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz. 'That’s my dad.' No three words better describe our next Vice President."

However, not everyone shared the same perspective. For example, conservative political commentator Ann Coulter took to social media to share a photo of the child along with her thoughts: "Talk about weird" (she later removed the post amid backlash). Trump supporter and podcaster Mike Crispi from New Jersey mocked Gus on X, referring to him as Walz’s "stupid crying son," adding a message directed to Walz himself: "You raised your kid to be a puffy beta male. Congrats." Alec Lace, another Trump supporter and podcaster, also mocked the child, commenting, "Get that kid a tampon already," evidently a reference to a state law signed by Walz that requires schools to provide free menstrual products to students.

I was honestly baffled by these comments. They also made me sad; we may be even more divided as a nation than I realized. How can millions of citizens witness the love between a parent and child and see it so differently? Inexplicably, some Americans took to social media to share heartfelt reactions to the moment, while others mocked the moment as well as the child himself. Surely a child’s love for a parent isn’t a partisan issue, right?

As I re-watch the video and look at the photos, what I see is clear. I see unconditional love. I see a close-knit family, a team. I see authenticity. I see family values in action. I see trust and support. I see people who are genuinely happy for each other, proud of each other. These are people who have each other's backs. They are each other's "soft place to fall."

This is parenting goals. I simply don't understand how one could see anything else.

Many adults have concerns for our young people today – and we certainly hear this in the media – they spend too much time on their screens, they don't have social skills or manners, they're disrespectful, they don't make eye contact when speaking to adults. I often hear that our Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids are unable to make real connections, they're ungrateful, they don't know how to express themselves, etc. Whatever you may think about the younger generations as a whole, it's evident that this young man, Gus Walz, is deeply connected to his family and expresses his emotions openly, clearly and in a healthy way. 

Why does this trouble some people? Men and boys can – and should – learn how to express emotion, much like women and girls do. And they should not be bullied or shamed for it. After all, little boys are not actually made of "snips, snails and puppy-dogs' tails" and girls are not made of "sugar and spice and everything nice," either. This is a lesson for all our sons.

Our society has been telling boys to hide their emotions, to "toughen up," to "man up," to be strong, not weak – for generations – and to disastrous effect. The way boys and men are "culturally trained and socially pressured to behave" is referred to as toxic masculinity, which has three core tenants: toughness, anti-femininity and power. "Emotional suppression lays the foundation for shame when unsanctioned feelings arise, which position anger and rage as the only acceptable masculine emotion…" (Anxiety and Depression Association of America). Our kids have been exposed to myriad examples of toxic masculinity (toxic men, too). I’d argue that they should see other possibilities on the national stage, too.

We must not feign ignorance here. We have learned the dangers of toxic masculinity as well as the benefits of social and emotional learning, and SEL has been implemented into school curricula across the U.S. "A growing body of research reveals that school-based efforts to promote social and emotional learning represent an effective approach to enhance children's success in school and life" (National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments). The Walz family understands this. Gus and Hope have learned well. And maybe we could learn something from this family, too: that some things really are non-partisan, that expressing emotions is healthy and that love and compassion are not a sign of weakness. Thank you, Gus. Thank you, Walz family.

Parenting goals.

Thank you to several DNC attendees for sharing their photos with us, including this one taken by Kathleen Long.

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