This dad's social media deal with his daughter is both genius and hilarious

This story originally appeared on Babble and is reprinted with permission.

If you have a tween or teen, odds are you've embarrassed them the hell out of them at some point -- whether you meant to or not. It seems that as a parent, your very existence can mortify your child at times, making for some pretty hilarious moments if you play your cards right.

But one imaginative father of two recently decided to take the embarrassment game to a whole new level, for a reason I think all parents can relate to.

Bradley Herbst of Jacksonville, Florida came up with an ingenious way to spend time with his teenage daughter: He made a rule that whenever he drove her to or from school, she wasn't allowed on her cell phone. If she broke the rule, Herbst threatened to walk her into school dressed in whatever outrageous costume he happened to be wearing that morning.

And it turns out, he really does own a bevy of outrageous costumes ...

Image source: Bradley Herbst | Babble

Herbst told Today that the idea came to him after his daughter looked at the shorts and T-shirt he was wearing one morning and said, "You cannot wear that to school."

Unfortunately, Herbst's daughter may have underestimated her dad's creativity. The hilarious father decided to start dressing up every morning for their ride to school, channeling everyone from Michael Phelps to Richard Simmons, a secret service agent, and even a Chippendale's dancer!

Before leaving the house, Herbst is always sure to snap a few photos, and upload them directly to Facebook - where they've since become a viral hit. And as his popularity has grown, Herbst says he's even received some new costume ideas from loyal fans (ahem, Cousin Eddie from Christmas Vacation).

We all know how hard it can be to carve out time with our kids as they get older. And for Herbst, he says the concept was born out of an attempt to have more of that one-on-one time - without his daughter looking down at her phone.

"We routinely have family game night where we play board games and cards," Herbst tells Babble. "There are no electronics at the dinner table, either."

Image source: Bradley Herbst | Babble

I totally get it -- when I tell my kids their time is up on phones and tablets, I'm immediately met with grunts and eye rolls. They effusively complain about how bored they are. But the fact that they think they can't possibly survive another moment without YouTube or Snapchat is beyond me. This is usually the time I make some sort of veiled threat about bad attitudes and confiscating their electronics forever. We both know it's a lie, but as long as I look reasonably confident as I say it, it doesn't seem like a total bluff.

All joking aside, there are very real consequences to kids having too much exposure to screen time. According to the Standard-Times, the overuse of electronic devices can have a negative impact on a child's social development.

"This includes the ability to make friends in person, take responsibility for actions, display good manners, use polite language, control emotions and temper, follow verbal directions, and develop empathy for others," the study notes.

Researchers also found that some children who regularly use the Internet and play video games display more anxiety and depression than those who limit screen time.

Image source: Bradley Herbst | Babble

Herbst said his daughter has learned a valuable lesson about social media from all the attention they've received since going viral.

"She learned how social media can change everything with one post in a good way, or more importantly, a negative one," he tells Babble.

In the end, Herbst got what he was looking for -- much needed father-daughter time and a new tradition they will never forget! I guess you can say this dad's got it all figured out.

More on Babble:

There's Apparently a "Tinder for Teens" -- and It Has Parents Like Me Worried

Dad Thanks Kind-Hearted Disney Employee Who Went the Extra Mile for His Little Girl

My Smartphone Keeps Me Sane, So Keep Your Judgements to Yourself