Chase Duplessis takes pride in sharing and listening to stories about what life was like for his family. His appreciation for his grandparents and parents is apparent as he speaks about the sacrifices they made to get him to where he is today. That pride is also visible when he talks about his wife and his little ones. Chase is an all-around people person. With a love of history, reading, and spending time with his family, Chase leads his family with love, kindness, and a lot of laughter.
What’s life like with six kids?
C: It’s hectic. There’s never a dull moment. We’re always into something.
Tell me about them.
C: Isabella is very helpful and humble. She’s like a little mom. Elisha is a ball of energy. He’s very active. Eleanor is very strong, fun-loving, and always smiling. Hannah is our most serious. She likes to make sure everyone knows the rules in everything. Josiah is a goofball. He loves to do what everyone else is doing, and Ezra crawls, walks, whatever he needs to do to follow his siblings around.
What’s the greatest thing about being a dad?
C: I’ve been teaching a long time and I’ve noticed how people have begun to interact less and less. But, you have to interact with your kids if you want them to turn into hard workers who contribute to society. So, being able to
interact with them, raise them, and do it well.
Tell me about your wife.
C: Sandy is a hard worker. She homeschools all of our children. She also cooks all of the meals. I can make some mean waffles and sometimes a roast, but she does most of the cooking. She also doesn’t put up with nonsense.
What are things you do to stay organized?
C: You realize things are going to be a mess. Sometimes we fly by the seat of our pants, but we divide and conquer and communicate. Although, Sandy says that I tend to have some omissions when it comes to communication. I would like to think that it’s just a male trait.
Any tips for parents who also have multiple children?
C: First and foremost, two children is like junior varsity and three is like varsity. If three is overwhelming, four may be better. The more you have, the better chance you have of not going to a nursing home when you get older.
How has parenthood changed you?
C: It has made me a lot less selfish. You say that one day you hope to travel, but then you find out that watching your children go down the slides at Chick-fil-A or seeing them land their back handsprings in gymnastics is 10 times better.
What advice do you often give your children?
C: To love the Lord, treat people how they deserve to be treated, work hard, always give your best, and be a good teammate.
What’s the most inspiring thing a child has taught you?
C: I like routine and I am apprehensive to change, so seeing them jump into new things.
What’s your favorite family game to play with your kids?
C: We play card games a lot. I taught my two oldest how to play Cribbage, and I also taught them how to play Faro. They love it.
What was your first job? What did it teach you?
C: I painted Parkview’s field house and the lines on the football field. It was a summer job I had with my friend. We did it every day, and after, we would do our workouts. We learned how to flick bottle caps, too, so we played bottle cap baseball. That experience taught me that if you work hard, you can play hard.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
C: Being able to pour into the kids and see them grow, and hopefully be a positive influence on their lives.
Are there any lessons you take home from work?
C: You see the good and bad every day. It brings up topics like when we should get our child a cell phone and other things to look for. For instance, if I hear about a cool show the kids are watching or a new app that helps with homework.
What personality trait of yours do you hope your children also get?
C: I hope they give people the benefit of the doubt.
How do you keep yourself centered?
C: I get up early, have my coffee, read the Bible, and enjoy the quiet. It gives me time to reflect and process.
Do you have any advice for other parents?
C: Enjoy it and parent well. They grow up fast, so keep the screen time to a minimum and do as much as you can with them. ■
Quick Q&A
The parenting item I couldn’t live without…headphones.
In my fridge, you will always find…milk.
Favorite movie growing up…A River Runs Through It.
My guilty pleasure is…reading.
I can’t stop listening to…podcasts.
