A day in the life of a man
Posted in Marriage, Mom Stress and tagged with family, Fatherhood, Work/Family Balance on 07/13/2009 04:27 pm by Rachael
Let me preface by the fact that men have come a long way baby.   There is a culture shift happening–a movement really–in which men are plugged into their families.  They contribute equally (or in my case more) in the household chores. That are tender with their children, they are not afraid to let their nurturing underbellies show. They co-sleep with their children and they really brave few might even be seen wearing their babies.
My man fits most of these yummy qualities.
But a man he still is.
And apparently men still reserve the right to check out and have adult time anytime that meets their man fancy.
Like when we are at a large gathering and all the men disappear into the garage/basement/backyard/anywhere that the women and children are not. They hoot and holler, drink beer, smoke and just enjoy feeling “free” for a few hours.Â
All the while the women are gathered similarly except their time is spent as a human juggle gym, a milk bar, a monster catcher, a boo-boo fixer a spill cleaner-upper and more.
Men gallivant off to play basketball or golf in their free time. Â
Women take the kids to the park.
Men escape into their man-rooms of the house when the day has drug on just a few hours too long, while the women fight with over tired kids and bed times.
Men tally up all they have done until they have filled their “time-card” and are eager to punch out…
I think I am going to try these sneaky man tactics.
How about I clean up after dinner, give baths and put on their jammies only to flee as fast as my legs will take me down to the basement so I can turn up the surround sound to drown out all that is happening upstairs. To drown out the fervent protests to bedtime. To drown out the sound of a teething baby’s cries. To drown out the exasperation in my husbands voice. And to drown out the sound of the SpongeBob SquarePants theme song filling our home for the 1,895,00 time.
Or
I can join a golf league and leave my phone in the car so I am 1,000 percent unreachable because as you know, it is absolutely against golf etiquette to even think about your phone in the presence of the golf gods. The only way to please these gods are to drink, smoke, tell dirty jokes and scratch your balls. Shit, I wonder if scratching the sweat between my boobs will suffice.
Or
I can pretend like I am taking out the garbage/getting something out of my car/watering the flowers but really sneak into the neighbors garage to get away and throw back a beer.
Or
I can give my husband my boobs so he can nurse the said teething baby all night long while I lay there asleep pretending not to hear a thing.
So yes, men have come a long way but still have things pretty damn easy if you ask me.
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July 13th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Oh, girl…I’m with you. Completely with you. And then if you complain, they run off some list of all they stuff they’ve done in the last three days as if we should pat them on the back, congratulate them, apologize for being so unreasonable, and send them on their merry way.
July 13th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Lol That’s funny. And extrordinarily unfair.
July 13th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
As much as I would like to say it’s not true, I have to admit most men have it pretty darn easy, in many respects.
The boob part is too true! But, I got to join in when our youngest went on the bottle. Warming the bottle at 3:00 AM after having just fallen asleep was a treat I secretly wished my wife could take back.
But, she nursed the first two all the way through. How could I NOT contribute this time?
Guys do need “guy” time, but moms need their time, too. I suppose it is all in working to find the right balance?
Dads and husbands, and I’m talking to myself, let’s listen here and pitch in some more ok? If you’re already doing it, cool. If not, (hello to self), get back to it! We’re not going to lose our macho-ness if do this. Promise.
July 14th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Ha! Sometimes I volunteer to go to the store to get something and then just take my time returning. Two can play at that game, for sure.
July 22nd, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Ha, I guess I’ve been the “guy” in my relationship! Do it!
~RM2
July 27th, 2009 at 9:00 am
Ha!