Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Can I please be a stay at home Dad

It's Fathers' Day soon, my youngest won't care, she's unconvinced by the Gregorian Calendar let alone its Hallmark variations. I'll be at home as it's Sunday and I'm strictly Monday through Friday - actually, I don't work on Friday, I have the youngest at home (one of the very few saving graces of the public service).

I'd like to be home everyday, I'd like to be a fulltime stay at home day however there's a few things stopping me not least of all youngest's enjoyment of childcare. Money's another, career too.

Still, on Fathers' Day I'm going to pretend that I'm a stay at home Dad; I'll do the dishes, hang out the washing from the night before and fold the washing that's dry, I'll cook some stuff that can be frozen and quickly reheated for children's dinners, I'll shop for various things not available through the online grocer, I'll hang out, fold, wash and hang out again... obviously I'll sing a few dozen of the Wiggles greatest hits along the way... but most of all, most of all I'll play with youngest, we'll go to the park, ride the slippery dip, consume sand, drench ourselves in the misfiring bubbler, lose a shoe and have a ball.

Would I really do this every day, instead of whateverthefuckitisIreallydo; you betcha!

10 comments:

llew said...

Be cool wouldn't it? Be better once the kids have left home though. You can just "hang out". And the kids can drop the prezzies off outside the back door & bugger off again.

backin15 said...

Particularly if they're earning and can afford the kind of gifts a stay at home dad really needs, like maybe a yacht?

Anonymous said...

Have a happy Father's day!

You sound like you are doing a great job with your kids. Time goes so fast - nearly all my kids are in their teens now and I'm pleased I spent so much time with them when they were little.

backin15 said...

How very nice of you Ruth.

Teen's hey, I remember being a teen; challenging little bugger I was too.

Anonymous said...

Hey, don't give up, there are many ways to -become- a stay at home person. Have you ever looked into network marketing type of jobs you start on the side, and eventually turn out to be even more rewarding [financially and otherwise] than a regular 9 to 5 job? Both me and my wife stay at home. We have a 3.5 year old and a 1.5 year old. There's nothing more rewarding than being home for your kids all day, -every day-.

JoseQ

backin15 said...

It appeals JoseQ but I'm pretty ensconced in the public sector now... there are other options I'm exploring. Great that you've been able to make arrangements that suit your family.

crasster said...

I am taking the plunge in early to mid-October. Three months minimum. My work is prepared to farm out some work too. So, I get to stay at home - spend time with the lad AND continue to bring in enough money to keep me in the manner to which I am accustomed.

backin15 said...

Smart move crasster, I'm sure you'll enjoy it and it'll be great for your wife and little fella too.

crasster said...

Hey, no need to get personal. I will be too busy looking after my son to worry about servicing the little fella.

backin15 said...

Come on now, he's changing his own nappy? Mine isn't; she'd rather train for some kick-boxing title smack-down than have the smelly nappy extracted.