Ashton Kutcher Tries To Get Credit For Waking With Kids, Mila Kunis Says 'Nice Try'

Hell yes, Mila Kunis

Have you ever done something as a parent and thought, “Man, I’m amazing. My significant other is seriously lucky to have me,” only to be swiftly reminded that The Awesome Thing is just your job now that you’re a parent?

Over the weekend, Ashton Kutcher was awarded with the ‘Robert D. Ray Pillar of Character Award’ and in his speech, he recalls a moment that wife, Mila, called him out and how parenting has become the most character-building role he’s had yet.

Kutcher was honored at the Ron Pearson Center in Iowa, his home state, and the award is given to “individuals who consistently demonstrate good character as a visible role model.” During his acceptance speech, he joked about all the times in his life he may not have been the best judge of character and then emotionally dedicated his award to his family, including wife Mila Kunis. “I’m telling you, this morning, I woke up, and she kicked my ass on character,” he says.

The gorgeous duo are parents to two children, Wyatt, two, and Dimitri, four months, who he called “the greatest lesson in character in my life.” “I thought I was awesome because I got up early and helped with the kids before she woke up, and I let her sleep a little bit,” the actor says. “And then she’s like, ‘Well, now you’re gonna act tired? I do it every day.’ But it was a character moment, right? Because she’s right!”

Hell yes, she’s right!

Most moms aren’t unfamiliar with the double standard that exists when it comes to raising kids. My own mother does this every time she comes to our house. She’ll see my husband doing something for the kids and say “Julie, let that man sit down. He’s got to be exhausted.” Ummmm, I’m sure he is. We both are because we both work full time and we both have three kids and a house to keep up and laundry that isn’t going to wash itself. He doesn’t get a break when it comes to the kids because he’s a man, that’s not how it works. Participation isn’t an option, it’s an expectation.

Assuming fathers won’t contribute equally when it comes to their child’s care doesn’t just cheat children out of a positive male role model, it underestimates dads as well.

Kutcher addresses the emotional toll parenting can take saying, “When I had these kids, my wife and I had these kids, and we got to share that amazing, amazing, amazing honor, my first response was, I wanted to call my parents and say, ‘I’m sorry, because I never knew how much you loved me.’”