True fact.
There's a Daddy Boot Camp.
As a matter of fact, I know someone who went to one.
It was a while ago so not sure if they just changed a bunch of diapers on a doll or not but I'm thinking Boot Camp should be mandatory for Father's and Husband's. How great would that be?
Topics would (and should) include the following:
Patience
How to not lose your cool when your 4 year old asks you the same question 100 times in a row. Remember, he is only asking you 100 times in a row because you are either:
A) ignoring him
B) not giving him the answer he requires.
Above also applies to the nagging wife.
Nurturing
There's no doubt in anyone's mind you love your family. We see it with an occasional slap on the back or praise when your kid brings home a good report card but are you wondering why they always cry to Mommy when they hurt themselves? Why is it that Mommy always needs to make the pain go away?
Because we are Mothers.
We get the maternal nurturing thing.
It's instinctual.
So give it a whirl.
Give us some lovin'. Affection. Hold your wife's hand. Give a spontaneous hug. Ditto for your children.
Say I love you for the heck of it.
I dare you.
Compassion
See above. Should try to last for longer then one minute.
Watch the tone of your voice
We, the women, are often in awe that within seconds of you yelling the same thing we have yelled, you have the children's attention. Personally speaking, the minute my husband yells, the kids listen. They may not listen to what he is asking them to do but...they listen nonetheless. It's something in their voice that screams "I'm the authority"
So remember that when you talk. No need to always raise your voice. Your words alone will command attention.
Communication
Talk to us. Your wives. You married us so clearly you like to spend time with us. Let us know. Tell us about your day. Your dreams, your hopes, your fears. Okay, we dont need in depth conversations all the time but once in a while, chat. I know there are wives out there reading saying you cant get your husband to shut up. I realize there may be an extreme. The over communicator. But be thankful. At least he lets you know what's on his mind. Even if it is about the need for a beer.
Patience
Wait? We touched on this subject already?
Huh...
bares repeating, right girlfriends?
PATIENCE. PATIENCE. PATIENCE.
Most of you Dad's are home for only a few hours/day. We don't blame you. We understand you work to provide the wonderful life that we lead but then try to savor the few hours that you are with your children. I speak for the SAHM (Stay at home Mom) because I am one. Working mother's, your excluded from this segment.
We, the SAHM's, are just that, HOME. Home with our dear, beloved, energetic, talkative, eager, explorer children day in and day out. We cannot call in sick. We cannot take a lunch break in peace. We cannot delegate our responsibilities. Many of us choose this role, the SAHM thing, so we shouldn't complain then? Hogwash. It's tiring. My fellow SAHM's know that this is the hardest job we will ever, EVER, (did I say EVER?) have. We survive. We pick our battles. We don't yell at every wrong they do because that would mean we would be yelling quite a bit during the day. We let them make mistakes because this is how we learn. We try, very hard, not to lose our cool. This is not to say we do NOT lose our cool because, again, personally speaking, we do. I admit. More then I would like.
But here's the thing Dad's. We lose our cool because we are at this job 24 hours/day 7days/week. Imagine that Dad's? Never do we leave our job. Never (hardly never) do we get vacation time and let's remember, we never bring home a paycheck.
So what I'm saying...we EARN that right to lose our cool.
You do too.
But only on occasion.
Maybe more on weekends if you're around more.
But a weekday? Keep it together for the hour you're home from work. Spend quality time with your kids. Don't look through the mail until they're in bed. Read to them. Play Chutes and Ladders and let your kid laugh at you when you get pushed down the massive slide. They cherish that time with you. And so do we. Wives find it sexy that you are the best father in the world. You may just get lucky after that chutes and ladders game. Makes you rethink things doesn't it?
And be patient with your woman. We've had long days too. Just remind us that we are loved. That you respect us (or worship us.) Remind us that you realize our day is hard and suggest taking over for a few minutes, or hours..
or days.
So Men, Sorry if I shot you down today. I reserve the right, however, because I have a mostly female clientele on this blog.
I also reserve the right to protect the innocent. Namely my husband. This is NOT a reflection on him. He, may, on occasion, need a quick course on patience, but still qualifies as FATHER AND HUSBAND EXTRAORDINAIRE.
There's a Daddy Boot Camp.
As a matter of fact, I know someone who went to one.
It was a while ago so not sure if they just changed a bunch of diapers on a doll or not but I'm thinking Boot Camp should be mandatory for Father's and Husband's. How great would that be?
Topics would (and should) include the following:
Patience
How to not lose your cool when your 4 year old asks you the same question 100 times in a row. Remember, he is only asking you 100 times in a row because you are either:
A) ignoring him
B) not giving him the answer he requires.
Above also applies to the nagging wife.
Nurturing
There's no doubt in anyone's mind you love your family. We see it with an occasional slap on the back or praise when your kid brings home a good report card but are you wondering why they always cry to Mommy when they hurt themselves? Why is it that Mommy always needs to make the pain go away?
Because we are Mothers.
We get the maternal nurturing thing.
It's instinctual.
So give it a whirl.
Give us some lovin'. Affection. Hold your wife's hand. Give a spontaneous hug. Ditto for your children.
Say I love you for the heck of it.
I dare you.
Compassion
See above. Should try to last for longer then one minute.
Watch the tone of your voice
We, the women, are often in awe that within seconds of you yelling the same thing we have yelled, you have the children's attention. Personally speaking, the minute my husband yells, the kids listen. They may not listen to what he is asking them to do but...they listen nonetheless. It's something in their voice that screams "I'm the authority"
So remember that when you talk. No need to always raise your voice. Your words alone will command attention.
Communication
Talk to us. Your wives. You married us so clearly you like to spend time with us. Let us know. Tell us about your day. Your dreams, your hopes, your fears. Okay, we dont need in depth conversations all the time but once in a while, chat. I know there are wives out there reading saying you cant get your husband to shut up. I realize there may be an extreme. The over communicator. But be thankful. At least he lets you know what's on his mind. Even if it is about the need for a beer.
Patience
Wait? We touched on this subject already?
Huh...
bares repeating, right girlfriends?
PATIENCE. PATIENCE. PATIENCE.
Most of you Dad's are home for only a few hours/day. We don't blame you. We understand you work to provide the wonderful life that we lead but then try to savor the few hours that you are with your children. I speak for the SAHM (Stay at home Mom) because I am one. Working mother's, your excluded from this segment.
We, the SAHM's, are just that, HOME. Home with our dear, beloved, energetic, talkative, eager, explorer children day in and day out. We cannot call in sick. We cannot take a lunch break in peace. We cannot delegate our responsibilities. Many of us choose this role, the SAHM thing, so we shouldn't complain then? Hogwash. It's tiring. My fellow SAHM's know that this is the hardest job we will ever, EVER, (did I say EVER?) have. We survive. We pick our battles. We don't yell at every wrong they do because that would mean we would be yelling quite a bit during the day. We let them make mistakes because this is how we learn. We try, very hard, not to lose our cool. This is not to say we do NOT lose our cool because, again, personally speaking, we do. I admit. More then I would like.
But here's the thing Dad's. We lose our cool because we are at this job 24 hours/day 7days/week. Imagine that Dad's? Never do we leave our job. Never (hardly never) do we get vacation time and let's remember, we never bring home a paycheck.
So what I'm saying...we EARN that right to lose our cool.
You do too.
But only on occasion.
Maybe more on weekends if you're around more.
But a weekday? Keep it together for the hour you're home from work. Spend quality time with your kids. Don't look through the mail until they're in bed. Read to them. Play Chutes and Ladders and let your kid laugh at you when you get pushed down the massive slide. They cherish that time with you. And so do we. Wives find it sexy that you are the best father in the world. You may just get lucky after that chutes and ladders game. Makes you rethink things doesn't it?
And be patient with your woman. We've had long days too. Just remind us that we are loved. That you respect us (or worship us.) Remind us that you realize our day is hard and suggest taking over for a few minutes, or hours..
or days.
So Men, Sorry if I shot you down today. I reserve the right, however, because I have a mostly female clientele on this blog.
I also reserve the right to protect the innocent. Namely my husband. This is NOT a reflection on him. He, may, on occasion, need a quick course on patience, but still qualifies as FATHER AND HUSBAND EXTRAORDINAIRE.
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