Monday, January 04, 2010
My 32-Year-Old
4-JAN-2010
My 32-year-old, going on 28 is the father of my two children who is currently more involved with the kids than any of my friends' husbands. It has been 3 weeks since he assumed the role of a full time father and husband. Before I go on any further, I have to let you know something. For mothers out there who have been a full time mother at least during the first two months of your baby's life, I'm sure you know how physically tiring it is taking care of a baby, what more another older child. So when your husband suggests that you swap roles, it does sound like a cool idea since you'll sitting on your ass all day long in the office. I don't know about you, but it sounds like a great vacation to me. :p
However, I think I've been scammed. When I used to be a full time mother while he was the bread winner, I did everything from feeding, bathing to cooking and cleaning. His role as a father was to come home and play with the kids. Now, I find that as soon as I step through the door in the evening (after a hard day's work *wink*), I have to do a mother's role, which is not to play with the kids but to feed them, clean them, fold up their clothes and what not. If the baby does a poo as soon as I get home, why is it not the "full time father's" role to clean her up? Don't get me wrong yeah, because I'm not complaining. I'm just telling you mothers out there to think it over and negotiate your "terms" if your husband ever suggests that you swap roles. :-)
Anyway, 3 weeks ... I think my 32-year-old has done a pretty good job (by my expectation of him). I actually have no idea what he does the whole day but at least he gave Dominic a wonderful day on his birthday by taking him and his cousins (without the baby I presume) to the Starship play gym.
Every morning, I'd feed Emily before leaving the house. I'd load the washing machine so that he can hang the laundry out to dry when he wakes up. At least this is what I expect him to do but I suspect that very often my MIL does it for him because according to her, he often sleeps till past 10am with the kids. I also suspect he's been reading parenting articles/books because he tells me the baby should be doing this and that.
Well, overall a job well done except for some minor things such as traces of poo still found on baby's buttocks. :p
Photo: My 32-year-old baby sitting the 2-month-old.
