What It's Really Like...

What it's really like...

Monday, November 8, 2010

He Said That?

"For now I'm happy we don't have to pay for, and subject our kids to daycare.  Although most days I suffer some sort of mental breakdown.  Most problems are Brynn and clothes, or Brynn asks, "What are we going to do now?"  We do have her going to school two days a week.  It gets her some outside stimulation but it adds "Bus Driver" to my already huge list of hats I wear (others are: short-order cook, maid, housekeeper, daycare teacher, craft coordinator, heiney wiper, dental assistant, laundry attendant, nurse, shopper, and did I say messy cleaner upper (that one I do the most!)."


I extracted this from a letter my friend James sent me last week.  James, a stay-at-home dad, is married to a college girlfriend of mine.  We sent them some clothes for their younger girls, and James sent us back a thank you box of assorted Tastycakes  from Pennsylvania, because they don't sell those here.  He also included an awesome note catching us up on how they're doing.  Best note I've ever read.  

I have an amazing husband.  He is my partner to the best of his abilities, specially when it comes to raising our children.  But his career is his job and the kids are mine.  It is what it is and there are some things he will never understand, because he just can't relate.  It didn't start off that way but that's where we are and we've been rolling with it.  So the way my friend James described my life, I mean his life, without apology is something I need to acknowledge.  After that paragraph he goes on to say how his wife is training to run a half-marathon.  He doesn't say... but oh, I shouldn't complain or, but things really are perfect, blah blah blah.  He straight up tells it how it is.  I have always loved James, he's an awesome guy, and now I love him so much more for his honesty.  It's not better or worse than my husband's life, it's just a different role with different expectations summarized well. 

I don't know that I would have so boldly put those words into a letter to my friend, but maybe with my friends with kids those things are already understood.. so it's more like what ELSE is going on!  Doesn't matter, it was great to know that I'm not alone and I have a friend who's not afraid to say it - and my friend is a Dad. 

1 comment:

  1. check out Charmaine's work http://www.charmainefelix.net/dblneg.html.

    ReplyDelete