A note of gratitude on Father's Day
I waitressed for years while in University. A good waitress is engaging with all their tables. They keep their section clean and help out behind the scenes. It might sound weird but
a great dad is the same.
There are so many balls to keep in the air when you're a parent. I mean, relationships, parenting, adulting, it's all hard. I wasn't very good at taking notes about how to do it all when I was young. I grew up in a Norman Rockwell painting. Two perfect parents, one sibling, and a dog. White picket fence, you know the type. Nothing ever seemed very hard. My mom worked part-time, and life ran on a well-laid-out schedule.
It was life as I knew it until I grew up and moved out.
In my first marriage, before my children, we both worked full-time. This model was new to both of us as he grew up much the same way I did. Because I knew no different, I took the weight of the tasks at home. Once I was a working mom, it all became too much.
When I was a single mom, I had days without children. Those were productive days! I cleaned the house, did the laundry, grocery shopped. That way, when I had the kids, our time together was easier for me to manage. It was enjoyable, not stressful.
When Mike and I moved in together, I no longer had days alone at home. When was everything going to get done?
Without my realizing it, Mike sensed what stressed me out the most. Laundry. With six people in the house, laundry can get out of hand. FAST.
It didn't matter that I didn't have the time home alone anymore. Mike was stepping in. Next on the list of least favorites were bathrooms. No one in the world enjoys cleaning bathrooms. And when there's three in the house and four girls; No, thank you.
My amazing husband hates cleaning floors. Vacuuming, mopping. None of it. Who knew I could get away with FLOORS in exchange for toilets!
If you have someone who comes in and does this all for you- Congrats. Someday we hope to as well! Until then: having a partner who shares life's responsibilities means so much.
Insert our great dad
(I'm not suggesting my father wasn't a great dad or my girls' father isn't either but, FOR ME, the kind of great partner I need and what makes Mike OUR great dad)
Mike is a great dad for so many reasons.
Mike never wavers as a father or bonus dad to our girls. He holds himself to the highest standards as a father. I could never expect more from him than he gives.
He keeps his section clean. It sounds funny, but it is amazing how none of his stuff is left out. He knows my stress levels and seems to mitigate them whenever he can. He is a great partner. And dad.
He helps out behind the scenes whenever he can. Last night after a long day at work, he picked up our daughter (my bio kid) from dance. He is constantly looking for ways to step up. And step in.
So on this Father's Day, I say thank you. Thank you to my incredible life partner for giving so much of you. We are all so lucky to have you in our lives.
Shannon, The Herd Mother
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