My Husband is a Great Father

I tease my husband a lot.  I can't help it.  He never remembers where he puts things, he seems to change clothes 437 times a day, and he's a bit of a full tilt diva about some things. So there is a lot of material for teasing, so much that I sometimes don't even know where to begin. Luckily, Larry is usually good natured about his foibles. Except for the diva things.

But I never tease him about being a dad.

My dad was gone for most of my childhood. He was doing what dads did back then--working. In addition to the military, my father fixed up antique clocks, taught a college class or two, worked weekends at various civilian hospitals, and earned two college degrees.  He still works, approaching 80. It is who he is. But he wasn't around for most of my childhood, and that is just the way it was.  My expectations for my husband weren't very high, as a result.

From the very first day of Zane' s life, his father has been there. For the first three days, he was the only parent there, while I was recovering(Zane and I were the hospital's only double code blue). He changed Zane's first poopy diaper in the NICU.  Once we all came home, Larry carried Zane around, showing him the high points of the house.  They're sometimes inseparable, and I am sometimes a little jealous.

One area of motherhood where I often fall short is patience. I don't like to repeat myself. I get irritated. I raise my voice. I've gotten better, but I am sure that I will be working on patience for the rest of my life.

Larry is patient with our son. He takes the time to explain things like rules; where my usual answer is "Because I said so."  He will let Zane sound out the words in a book, no matter how long it takes, where I usually just say the word to move the story along. I could go on, but I'm starting to get a complex.

My husband is there.  He is a vital part of my son's life. He is not hiding in the garage, or parked in front of the computer. He is coaching soccer. He is kissing boo boos. He is listening to the same song over 40 times in a row.

He is being a dad. I love him for that.

A Fiver

optional prompt: about the dads!


It is Father's Day in Australia.  I had no idea that other countries had a holiday for dads.  I thought that was just an American thing.  We do love our holidays, if the greeting card companies are any indication. 

The definition of a good father has certainly changed over the years.  From just being a provider and protector but not much else, a dad these days is seen as an equal parent.  It used to be that the dad left all the child-rearing to the mom; not anymore.  Today you are just as likely to see dads walking with strollers as you are a mother.  You are just as likely to have a dad show up for the parent-teacher conference, too. 

Dads seem to be more defensive about their child's behavior than mothers.  I know that when my husband and I are at conferences for my son, Larry wants to make excuses for why Zane does what he does, and he expects the teachers to make accommodations accordingly.  I don't always think that is a good idea.  Larry seems to expect the world to learn to fit Zane, instead of Zane finding his own place in the world.  If Larry could he would 'give' the world to his son. 

I guess that is a new definition of a good father.

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