No Kidding
Cats: Kids, Personal|It’s been a little while since I’ve posted about my life, so I thought I’d share one of my more recent reflections on fatherhood: parents are not kidding when they say certain things about parenthood:
1) IT’S HARD WORK. I don’t say any of this for those readers out there with children–this isn’t news to you. It’s also not news to those of you who are observant enough to learn from watching others, and yet I would consider myself in that camp. But one thing that never fully sank in is how hard-core of a job it is. People who say ‘Parenting is a full-time job’ are understating the situation more than threefold. It’s not a full-time job, it’s a ROUND-THE-CLOCK MARATHON THAT NEVER ENDS. And your boss/coach is someone who needs constant attention, oversight, and care. Even when you are on point and getting diapers and bottles ready, your boss still screams at you and vomits & poops on you. You might be able to get some kind soul to take over for you, to give you some ‘rest’ by letting you go to work at your day job so you can make more money to feed & clothes your only customer (unless you get more customers/bosses at some point along the way). And your reward is that the child gets bigger off the food you provide, and grows out of his clothes, and eats more and more.
2) IT’S WORTH EVERY SECOND. The other thing that parents aren’t kidding about is when they say how much they love their kids. Okay, there may be some out there who just don’t feel the love, for whatever reason. But I think you can tell by how much they talk about (and blog about) and show off photos of their kids, that it’s worth all the extra work, expense, los of freedom, and so on.
A word about single moms and dads: I don’t know how they do it…but I know why they do it.
That is, I don’t know how I’d make it without my wife taking at least half the burden from me. She’s the best, and I couldn’t be a good parent without her. But also, I know if she weren’t around–as excruciating as that would be in every way–I would still do my very best at all times to be a good father to my son. Because a smiling face like this…
…is worth every tired & hungry tirade I have to endure from him.
August 7th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
And let’s face it… compared to most… your kid is QUIET and CALM. Next kid you have you can compare!
August 7th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
I’ll admit he’s a good boy overall, but have you seen him when he’s mad? He has a mean left hook, and goes from QUIET & CALM to PIERCINGLY LOUD.