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Dad's funny posts about being 'mum' go viral

After his wife was hospitalized, this dad made the Internet laugh with his viral posts about being on his own with his two kids.
/ Source: TODAY Contributor

"Today I had to be the mum," wrote Australian dad Brad Kearns in one of his now viral Facebook posts.

The actual "mum," Brad's wife, Sarah, was hospitalized this week after her liver failed, and was later admitted for surgery, leaving Brad on his own with the couple's two sons, Knox, 2, and Finn, 6 weeks.

"It is hard, It's really hard," Kearns wrote in a post about caring for his sons on his own. "I don't know how single parents do it."
"It is hard, It's really hard," Kearns wrote in a post about caring for his sons on his own. "I don't know how single parents do it."Brad Kearns

To entertain his friends, Brad began posting daily updates about the disasters that were occurring on his parenting watch — from an incident involving stickers and his own leg hair, to neglecting his own personal hygiene due to caring for a fussy newborn. Sarah says a friend asked him to make the post public so they could share it. The next morning, the posts had gone viral.

"You know when your wife always says 'I wish I could be the dad,' and you're like — It's the same thing?" Brad wrote in one of the posts. "Well sit back, relax, grab a drink, some popcorn...because I'm about to take you on a ride that could only be likened to a backwards 100 mph roller coaster that takes you through waterfalls of vomit, shit and lots of tears."

Until entering the hospital, Sarah had been taking maternity leave to care for their newborn son while Brad worked full time.

"I think people relate well to (the posts,) because, even in 2016 it's still quite traditional for one parent to work whilst the other is on maternity leave. The small challenges seem to be hitting a spot with a lot of partnerships out there," Brad told TODAY Parents.

"The biggest experience I will take away is just to understand that even though we're both parents, in our situation whilst I am at work, Sarah is definitely doing the harder work," Brad continued.

Although the majority of followers to DaDMuM, the Facebook page Brad created to publish his posts, appear to think Brad is new to parenting on his own, Sarah says this is not the case.

"Brad is the most wonderful father. Before Finn arrived six short weeks ago we both worked full time and we worked at opposite times so that one parent was always home for Knox," said Sarah. "I think people assume he has never been left with the kids by himself before."

After his wife, Sarah, was hospitalized due to liver failure, Kearns began posting hilarious daily updates about his experience being "the mum" to his two sons, Knox, 2, and Finn, 6 weeks.
After his wife, Sarah, was hospitalized due to liver failure, Kearns began posting hilarious daily updates about his experience being "the mum" to his two sons, Knox, 2, and Finn, 6 weeks.Brad Kearns

"I called Brad on the first night I was in hospital and Finn was crying in the background," Sarah continued. "I burst into tears and was feeling guilty for deserting my babies — particularly newborn Finn and felt like the worst mum ever. Brad got off the phone and wrote the post to tell me, in his hilarious way, that he thought I was supermum because it is tough...I have an awesome husband."