Hi there!! Are you enjoying the great guest posts from some awesome Charlotte {and surrounding areas} Dads???? Me too!! If you know a dad who would like to contribute before July 1st please feel free to email us at thecharlottemoms@gmail.com
This week’s blog post comes from Chris G. Chris is a self-employed professional photographer in Morganton, North Carolina. He has been married to Rebecca for almost 10 years, and together they have one daughter, Hannah. Chris’ company, TPS Photography, has been open since 2000. Specializing primarily in fine-art family and children’s portraiture, Cathy Yount has recently been added to the TPS team, helping the business expand into more weddings and fashion photography. Chris graduated in 1999 from UNC-Asheville with a B.A. in Mass Communication. You can see more of his work at: http://www.tpsphotography.com/ and like his page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/finecustomportraits
This past Monday, I got to spend the day with my one and only daughter, Hannah, age 4. Times like this come few and far between. I’ll admit that I was somewhat “placed” into this position since my Mom is busy taking care of my ailing Dad and our usual babysitter was at the hospital with her husband who had some minor health problems. Taking care of the kid was not my idea of a perfect day off, which also come few and far between being an entrepreneur during a poor economy. My wife works four days a week as a radiology technician…which comes in handy financially…but she also loves the job. This leaves us utilizing the services of grandparents and baby sitters regularly, which can be complicated to juggle, but it is also a blessing since family and friends are close by.
Our day started with me mowing grass at 7:45 a.m. while Hannah watched “My Little Pony” in the bed with a glass of milk. Then it was off to the park with our dog, Lulu. After a mile of walking, some shade-sitting, some sliding and swinging. Afterward, we took Lulu back home and went out for ice cream. Now, I’ll admit, this was the most trying part of the day. I should have gone with the cup instead of the cone. I think you know what I mean…
After stopping to see Mommy at work for a few minutes, it was home for lunch then Hannah laid down for a short nap while I did dishes and four loads of laundry. By this time, I was completely worn out…but surprisingly, it left me wanting to do this every day. At least for a day…I got to see what it would be like to be a stay-at-home dad or mom.
Since me staying home is not even a remote possibility, this one-day experience, if nothing else, has given me motivation to re-prioritize a few areas of my life.
This weekend, (since I actually get a Saturday that I don’t have to work 12 hours) we’ll be going camping. We bought a canoe recently, so the Sunday afternoons on the river will happen more often than in the past. I’ve also decided that I’m going to take off most every Monday through the summer to spend with Hannah.
Do I need to be working? Probably. But it’s nothing that can’t get done on Tuesday or the following days. Life is passing me by. I’m 34, I only have one child. If I don’t spend the time now, I’ll never get to go back and do it all over again. Family time is great, but that special “one-on-one time” with your child can’t be equaled.
I know most of us dads out there are busy. We feel like we have to work to provide for and protect our families, but we’re also needed for nurturing and caring. Sometimes we get so caught up in our “duties” that we forget the “responsibilities” that matter most. When we’re on our death beds and our children are holding our hands, I know they will care more about the time we spent with them than the things we provided for them.
What steps are you taking or will you take to get that “one-on-one” time with your children?
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