Daddy Day Care

For the last roughly 10 days my wife has been out of the country on a business trip. She gets back in another day and a half. This is not the first time I have been left in charge of Daddy Day Care with our two kids, ages 3 and 5, and it likely won’t be the last.

While there is always a certain amount of trepidation about being left alone with both kids for more than just a couple of days, I am continually amazed at the variety of reactions I get from people when they find out. Some express total shock, and ask how I am able to manage. Others express their joy at seeing a dad ‘step up to the plate’ and take care of the kids (‘for once’ being the implication), while others see it as a chance for some father/child bonding moments and memories. Other just plain see me as brave.

I actually enjoy most of the time with the kids. Not that I like my wife being away, just that when mommy is away daddy and the kids can ‘get away with’ a few things. I will admit to being more tired than normal, mostly from stress I am sure, but nothing that is unmanageable.

This round of Daddy Day Care saw us do the following:
Go out to dinner (McDonalds) and a movie (Cars) together
Take Sunday afternoon naps together – twice!
Have ‘special breakfast’ together (Pop-Tarts) – twice!
Spend time cooking together in the kitchen for dinners
Invite friends for over dinner two different times
Go to some friends’ house for dinner
Successfully complete all school homework before the deadline
Wrestling on mommy and daddy’s bed (always a favorite)

All in all, not a bad 10 days. I have tried hard to make sure there were more good times than ‘bad’ ones. I hope that someday my kids will look back on times like this with fondness or at least have positive memories.


Do you have a memory from your childhood about time spent with one of your parents?