We all need some fatherly advice every now and then in our lives, whether it comes from our father, our step-father, a kind teacher, or even a wise old man on television. Sometimes, you might even get that advice from an international celebrity.
Zack Teperman was lucky enough to fall into that last category when he got advice from Tom Hanks on an age-old tradition.
“A month ago my daughter really started enjoying giving me high fives,” Teperman explained on Instagram.
“But as the old saying goes, ‘High Five, Down Low… Too Slow,’ I pondered to myself when would be an appropriate time to move my hand away for the ‘Too Slow’ part. I mean, she just turned 2,” he joked , and then stated that he sent a letter to actor Tom Hanks to seek an answer, which he definitely got.
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“There is a simple, even common answer to your question that every father should know,” Tom replied in a type-written letter.
“From the moment in life any child can respond in kind to a request for a ‘High Five,’ you must follow up with ‘Down low.’ First, the child gets the High part right. Then, age and maturity leads to meeting the Down second act,” he began.
“This combo of High Five and Down Low continues for some time. High Five! Down Low! A relationship is born.”
“When that same child figures out how to rag on you – in good humor and affection – maybe around the age of seven or seven and three months or seven and six month of eight and a quarter, you pick the time to answer that child in affectionate kind,” Tom continued.
“So, the child makes a loving joke at your expense. Everyone laughs.”
“You say ‘You are so funny and I love you very much. High Five!’ Slap. ‘Down low.’ Slap? NO! Withdraw your hand. ‘Too slow,'” Tom revealed. “I have four grown kids, three grand daughters (who have yet to be inaugurated into the ‘too slow’ tradition). This stuff works.”
I’ll definitely take Tom’s word for it! What an amazing response!
