This month marks my 2 year anniversary since I became a stay-at-home Dad. I wrote a similar blog about this last year and said check in with me next year. Here we are... And to be honest, not a lot has changed.
Magan is still working her same job, we still live in the same house in Durango, Maia and Eva are still involved in their same activities, and I am still staying home attempting to keep the same 2 (well 3 if you include Magan) girls happy, healthy, and productive.
What has changed is my approach to this "job" and other people's reaction to my family's "arrangement". Me staying at home is no longer an experiment. I no longer feel like I am trying to figure out how to do this thing. Most people are no longer surprised when I show up at school/activities/appointments with the girls instead of Magan. This is officially our lives and it doesn't feel temporary anymore.
I won't claim to have everything under control. Just as I am settling into this role, Maia will start kindergarten 5 days a week in the fall (starting at 7:50 am each day so wish me luck...we struggle to make the 9:00 am start at pre-k) and Eva will start preschool a couple of days each week. I will have a few hours of kid-less free time on my hands each week in the very near future. And I am beginning to think about what to do with myself during those hours. Going back to work full time not an option if Magan continues her job. And she digs her job so I don't see that happening anytime soon. I'm not complaining! Soon enough both of my girls will be in school full time and won't need such hands on parenting so I am truly soaking up every opportunity I have to hang out at the library and the park and play puzzles and princesses.
The changes coming in the near future have had me thinking recently about the last few years. I have been given a really awesome gift of being able to be so present in my daughter's young lives. As a Dad to two daughters, there are a couple of life skills that are absolutely required. There will be test on these requirements at some point in the future:
• Using tools properly
• Basic car maintenance
• Driving a standard
• Throwing a baseball
• Throwing a punch (for self protection of course...preferably not on your sister)
• Understanding the basics of sports
• Doing a real push up
• A strong handshake
This list is intentionally "masculine" and limited to things that I can do well and know I can teach my daughters (if you take offense...don't).
Of course, there is the list of things that I hope for my daughters (things we all hope for our children), but I cannot teach necessarily them:
• Happiness
• Health
• Success (whatever that means for them)
• True love
And then there are those things that I hope I am actively instilling in my girls. With the daily grind and all the other lessons we are responsible for teaching (i.e. the reading, writing, arithmetic stuff), these are the things that I am really focused on and can only hope that this stay-at-home Dad business is making an impression on:
• Kindness
• Self confidence
• Humbleness
• Silliness
• Compassion
• Independence
Check in with me this time next year. If I am lucky, I will, once again, be able to tell you not a lot has changed!
Hasta...
