Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Mommy Daddy Comparison (From a childs perspective)

Over this past weekend our family had something happen that was really kinda funny and got me to thinking, "Does Daddy really know what he is doing when it comes to taking care of the kids?"

I will start this story out by letting you in on what happened at our house. I had absolutely no time to go Easter shopping over the past week so I, of course, was out shopping at 7:30pm the night before Easter. They whole day was nothing but busy and at 7:15pm my husband was taking my sons friend home so I could leave to get all my stuff done. Now I was feeling stressed. I had to get groceries and the items I needed to make desserts for my mother in laws house the next day. I had to get Easter candy and toys for the baskets. I also needed to find a basket and baby toys for our new little one. Can anyone say MIGRAINE! I was running like mad trying to make it to the Dollar Store to stock up on all my kids favorite candy. Still no basket for the poor baby. I ran into the grocery store picked up a few grocery items and said forget the rest, I will come back on Monday.  I ran up the unbelievably overpriced toy isle and grabbed some baby toys and a few wiffle balls for my sons. Ran over to CVS where I found the As Seen On TV Slushy Maker and grabbed that for my daughter. Still no basket for the baby. Ran next door to TJ Max to see if they had baskets and of course, no basket, unless I wanted one that would hold the newspaper on the steps. Don't think I didn't contemplate it either! But I ended up with a monkey backpack that fit everything right inside. I will find a basket for next year.

But here is where the real story begins. I come home with the few grocery bags in my hand and was met at the door by my daughter. She had a very concerned look in her eye that I could see through the glass in the door. When I opened the door she said "Mommy, didn't you get my message?" I looked at my phone and said "No, my phone never rang. Why whats the matter?" As she was starting to speak, my husbands head pops around the corner and he states, "Can you please tell your daughter that I am a good father and I know what I am doing!"

Well come to find out, the baby started crying as soon as I left my house. Anyone that knows him will tell you that he is a great baby and never cries, but right now he is getting his top two teeth and that really doesn't feel so good. So, he can cry all he wants the poor guy.

Back to the story! Our daughter proceeds to tell me that he cried the whole time I was gone and Daddy only just got him to sleep. Now, Daddy's story goes like this. "You left the house and he started crying! Not the whimper cry but the he's in pain cry. I tried everything! Standing, sitting, rocking, walking, going outside, putting him in his bouncy and nothing worked until I just put him down in our bed and he finally went to sleep."

Well, this is what I would normally do if he was worked up but our daughter kept telling her father that he didn't know what he was doing! She told him "Ty never cries like that when Mommy is here!" and "I think I should just call mommy and let her know what is going on!" and "Are you sure you know what you are doing, Daddy?" He said she was relentless!

I have never laughed so hard on the inside than I did that night! Does he really not know what he is doing? Of course he knows what to do. Parents parent differently. He has his way and I have mine. We both know how to settle the baby down but it might not be the same way. Our daughter usually sees me with the baby and what I do because I am fortunate enough to be able to stay at home. I had to explain to her that Daddy does know what he is doing and that sometimes we need to give daddy some slack and let him figure out what to do with the baby because he doesn't get to spend as much time with him as we do. I then told her "I don't know how you made it 10 years with him as your father!" We all got a good laugh out of it and it will be a story told to the baby for years to come!