James told Bored Panda that what helps him stand out the most is how relatable and to-the-point his posts are. People really enjoy short-form content because they're so busy all the time.
"I convey my parenting disasters in a way that's relatable and, more importantly, short," he said.
"Parents are pressed for time. I condense big stories into small tweets. That's why readers keep coming back," the writer explained how he stands out from other creators.
James seems to find a great balance between being a parent and managing one of the most well-known comedy brands on the internet. However, he's a parent like everyone else. The reality is that he's just as pressed for time as everyone else is! He does his best to juggle parenting and writing, and sometimes even sacrifices sleep. We were curious how he approaches this and what advice he'd give other parents.
"You'll never feel like there's enough time because there's not enough time. You can't do it all," he explained.
"The secret is that no one else can, either, no matter what they claim on their posts about their 'perfect' life on Facebook and Instagram. I make time by writing on my phone while hanging out with my kids and also by staying up later than them," the writer said.
"But ultimately, I sacrifice sleep to be productive. Something always has to give."
Meanwhile, the founder of Exploding Unicorn gave us a peek into what he's currently working on. "The best place to follow me is on Substack, where I flesh out my short stories into epic tales that will definitely make you glad you're not me," he said that this is where you can find some more long-form content.
"I'm also working on a sequel to my sci-fi debut, 'The Chosen Twelve.' Finally, my first children's picture book, 'You Can't Be a Pterodactyl,' comes out in July."
It’s safe to say that the Exploding Unicorn project has been a massive success. James has nearly a million followers on Twitter, almost 300k fans on Facebook, and over 156k devoted internet users follow him on Instagram.
Good humor, consistent posting, and relatable stories are what help James’ posts stand out from the crowd online. James started up his Twitter account in 2012. In 2016, it went viral and he became of the most popular dads on the planet.
Recently, Bored Panda got in touch with writer James, the founder of Exploding Unicorn, for a chat about his family and parenting style.
“I would describe my parenting style as one of loving neglect," he quipped during an earlier interview with us.
"I’m the opposite of a helicopter parent. I’m more of an observe-from-a-safe-distance parent. That way, my kids develop a sense of independence and learn from their mistakes, all while I’m outside the blast zone,” he opened up.
"My own parents were very laid back. They never pressured me in any way, yet I excelled at many things. I also failed—hard—at an exhaustive list of activities," James told Bored Panda earlier.
"My mom and dad gave me the freedom to figure out who I was and what I wanted to do. That’s a large part of the reason I’m a comedy writer today. So basically they ruined my life,” he joked.
Helicopter parenting is what happens when grownups become overly involved in their children’s lives and try to protect them from even minor inconveniences and failures.
Unfortunately, this leads to kids growing up shy, timid, and poorly equipped to handle things on their own. It makes for a more difficult life when they have to leave home for college or when they have to find a job.
One way to tackle this issue is to consciously give them more independence. Parents can let go of their need for control by taking a step back, one area at a time, and seeing how they handle themselves. You’re always there to support your kids if things go wrong.
But you shouldn’t rush to solve every tiny little problem for them before they’ve had a chance to take a go at it. Kids are capable of far more than some parents give them credit for.
