Oh, sure, I had my doubts about my husband’s parenting. Of course, I thought I was a better parent. After all, I was the one with the extra clothing packed and ready in the car, I was the one with detangler and a hairbrush in my purse, I pre-packed single serving snacks in baggies and kept them in a drawer specifically for kid approved snacks! When we went to a restaurant I took crayons, pencils, mini notepads, wipes, Cheerios, my purse looked like the inside of the 99 cent store!
See what a wonderful parent I was!! I could be anywhere with those children and be prepared for anything! I could fill a need they never even knew they had! As the kids got older my list of things to take with me grew and I found myself carting around a cooler with drinks in the trunk, I was in the kitchen 24/7 working like a short order cook, now when we went to a restaurant, we found ourselves sitting across from anxious kids watching us hurry up and eat so we could drop them off to their social activities ( they aren’t going to pass up a free ride and a free meal) I found myself fishing out money, money and more money out of my purse. One time I even handed over my brand new Clinique lipstick and you know I never saw that again, besides, who wants it after it was passed around a room full of 13 year old girls!
Yes, I was prepared for anything.
One day I looked at Daddy. He looked calm and rested. He smelled great! He traveled light! His hair was always combed. He was still so handsome! I, on the other hand, looked like a rag doll riding a pack mule!
Then it hit me! Daddy looked good, because Daddy took care of Daddy!!! I am not saying my husband didn’t care about the kids, he did. He didn’t guess what their needs might be or prepare for them. Daddy never pulled a juice box out of his ass! Daddy never had chilled string cheese on him! Daddy never had colored pencils and paper in his pocket!
I’ll tell you what Daddy DID do. Daddy made sure the kids were fed before they left. He reminded them one time about a jacket and knew that if the kids were freezing their behinds off once, they will remember that jacket the next time. Daddy never handed out money, why should he? He gave allowances on Saturday and it was up to the kids to make it last. If a kid didn’t remember to grab a bottle of water from home, he showed them where public drinking fountains were so they could take a drink of hot water. Amazing, the kids always remembered their water bottles and carried it themselves after a few swigs of that nasty public water!
Daddy never hurried through a meal because Janie or Johnnie was waiting on one of our kids.
If Daddy was expected to watch a Pretty Pretty Pony movie without falling asleep, then the kids were expected to sit through an action movie without freaking out and asking to go home in the middle of the movie!
I watched him in amazement. He handled those children beautifully and sometimes forcefully. And at the end of the day, he loved the children and they loved him!
When I stepped back and let my husband parent the children, my life became so much easier.
My husband, My hero!