Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Dear Men, An Ode To Helpful Dads

Dear Men,

My husband left this evening to go camping.  Far away.  For two nights.  By himself.  Before you jump into premature jealousy of this scenario, please recall that he was pretty much a single parent for about a month at the end of tax season.  And though I previously argued that some people need to stop with the parent math, there is, in fact, a time and place for some well deserved parent math.   Husband takes care of almost all parenting duties for almost a month...husband gets some time off.  That's a freakin' no brainer.

Not-yet-dads out there, file this away for...sometime.  Dads out there, file this away for...tomorrow.

Noooo I don't mean file away the fact that helping with the kids gets you a camping trip.  File away the fact that helping with the kids is super duper immensely appreciated.   In today's modern world, I think a lot of women would love to quote Meghan Trainor and say "You've got that nine to five, but baby so do I. So don't be thinkin' I'll be home and makin' apple pie."   In a lot of today's families, ain't nobody got time for makin' apple pie, so there's just gotta be some division of responsibility.  

So often during tax season, I got asked how my kids were doing and how we were handling taking care of them while I was working so much.  Well, first of all, they go to daycare (why do so many people seem to forget this is a thing?) and otherwise Trent takes care of them.   Trent??  Oh wow!  Um, yeah, Trent...that guy I married and committed to parenting with.  He's actually better with the kids than I am so...there's that.

I'm also reminded of the time I was telling someone what our brother-in-law does and how his work shifts often land him off for two days during the week instead of the weekend so they rigged childcare for a time where he would take care of our niece and nephew entirely on any weekdays he was off.  The person I was talking to was shocked.  You mean he took care of them...by himself...for two whole days?  Uh...yah...and quite spendidly too.

Dudes, you have stereotypes going so NOT in your favor.  Apparently you are not capable of being successful caregivers for your own children.  Gasp.  

Dads, be the surprise.  Draw out the gasp from someone.  Be an active, equal player in this parenting gig.  Heck, be the main caregiver in your family for a time if that's what your family needs. If you don't know how, just jump in and I guarantee you will learn.  It doesn't make you hipster or modern or less of a man.  It makes you a dad.  And it makes you awesome.

And it might get you a camping trip.

Ok bu-bye now.

Anna

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