Daddy Day??? What are the rest of the days?

Recently, I was spending a week day with my kids and we were playing at a park. Oftentimes, as the weather changes, I am more motivated to take days off and get outside rather than force myself to be productive when there is not motor function from the neck up. I spend the day with my kids and then work during nap time and into the wee hours. It’s a tough tradeoff, but I’ve grown accustom to being flexible with the hours I work and with no time sensitive projects in the works, it can be a great day to spend an enjoyable day together.

The bothersome part of it is when people who see a dad with their kids and assume it’s an oddity. Oftentimes I get comments such as, “oh, must be your day off!”, or, “is someone playing hooky today?” Now normally, I don’t put much stock into the comments of others, but this recurring theme has me slightly agitated. Why is it such an oddity for the Dad’s of the world to be spending time with their kids.

If I don’t spend the time I have with my kids now, there may be no other time. Honestly, it’s a bit of a dark thought, but tomorrow’s aren’t guaranteed. Also, my kids are growing like weeds, literally, every time I turn around there are clothes we recently acquired that no longer fit, the bikes, toys, and other collection of items are no longer of appropriate size. I may blink and they’ll be teenagers. If I don’t take time to spend with them and get to know them now, it’ll be too late.

How else will I provide them with an appropriate sense of ‘dad humor’, who will teach them my brand of stubbornness, and who will teach them ‘My Way’.

For the record, I don’t ever ‘babysit’ my kids as is the common reference. When I am relieving my wife from responsibility, I do watch my kids. Regularly, as part of my 50/50 work share with my spouse.