Everyday Dad

As an Everyday DAD, I'd like to be able to share the sound decision making and perfect execution I use to raise three boys...but if you want that go to Facebook.  There you will find thousands of people telling you how great their ideas on parenting are and why you should 👍 them. 

Instead I share the beginning of this blog amidst being trapped...I mean stuck...I mean quarantined during COVID19 with my loved ones.  Now with schools closed down as well as work, building a schedule for days on end is essential but ain't easy.   My three boys (8, 13, 16) all had opinions of how that worked for them (yes just them) so finding a compromise to a schedule fell on deaf ears when I spoke about consistency.  The top 3 questions I got when trying to describe a schedule were:

1. When can I play video games?
2. Can I go over to my friends?
3. Why do I need to do chores?

Perhaps this sounds like your house but seriously if the first one didn't make me blow a gasket, surely the next two did.  In a stellar parenting moment I said "you know what, do whatever you want", and then complete and utter silence.  I broke, caved, and conceded to the little monsters I love.  Well, at least temporarily until I could calm down and find the right thing to respond with.
***News Flash*** stop waiting for the right thing to say, we all fail, we all are not perfect so don't beat yourself about it.

All this to say I have great children and couldn't be more proud of how they step up even when I am not on my top parenting game.  After a bout of silence and retreating to our own corners like a boxing ring, they jumped in and helped with chores and asked how to help.  Sure they still ask the same three questions hourly but they are kids and this situation is hard enough for us adults to deal with so why do we expect them (or anyone else for that matter) to be unphased.