Going back to school for Rob and family
{Diary of a stay at home dad}
Week Thirty Two I was getting used to having Sarah at home with me for the past week, it has been really nice to spend some quality time together as a family, I would often joke and say to the wife ‘'do you miss work yet'' but the reality is yes she does at least a little, as work is still a break from your own children I used to feel the same when I was at work too. I don't mean that in a bad way it's just sometimes parents need time to themselves to just think about other things or just gather their own thoughts without little voices in their head.
It's amazing how much more things you can get done around the house with an extra pair of hands. I was finally able to put those belongings in the loft and try to find a home for all the lovely new gifts the girls received at Christmas. Common sense tells you to make some space to clear the way for Christmas, but we never learn. (so my way of clearing space is popping out to town to purchase some of those collapsible boxes for the girl's room) I was doing a little shopping and as I was queuing up an old lady had just been served. The classic stereotype short curly hair, shopping trolley in hand, wearing a lot of beige colors, slow on her feet, I noticed she had left her bank card in the machine so I grabbed it and left the shop to catch her up (thinking she will only be outside the shop) somehow she had made it up to the top of the high street and was just crossing the traffic lights. Don't let that look fool you I think they have secret wheels on the bottom of their shoes or nitrous oxide kit strapped to their trolley. When I finally caught up with her, I said barely able to breathe at this point ‘'excuse me you left your card at the shops'' she had a great big smile on her face and said thank you dear that is kind of you. I turned around to head back to the shops realizing that I had left the shops with my shopping in my hand so unless I want to get in trouble for shop lifting I had better get back there soon.
So a new school term starts next week I feel like a veteran now that I have four school terms and a summer holiday under my belt. I am no longer a newbie and as good as that feels there is now an expectation that I know what I'm doing and to be more organized. I can no longer use the excuse ‘'Daddy is still learning'' I left it to the last minute again for getting new bits of school uniform for Ruby, but I feel a little more experienced now with each term that passes As I was looking back over this past year I couldn't help, but feel guilty over what my wife has been through, she found it very hard to cope with the children for various reasons (Especially little Poppy) Sarah spent so much of her time making sure everybody else is happy and putting her family first (me first) that she just forgot about herself. I take some of that blame as her husband who should have acted sooner and offered more support instead of being wrapped up in my work life. I'm glad my eye's opened when they did. (I am just sorry I couldn't have helped sooner) I am slowly learning now that if you want to have a happy family you must look out for your own happiness too. Do not neglect yourself, find time for you because if you're happy so will your children and if they are happy it makes life that little bit easier. As I said before I don't do new years resolution's as I think we set ourselves up to fail, by having unachievable goals which just makes us feel worse if we can't achieve them. What I am going to do is try to find more ways to be a better father to my two girls. To be a more supportive husband to my lovely wife and last of all to make my home a place of laughter. I hope we all take ourselves a little less seriously over the following year and that your homes will be filled with laughter as well. Until next week……….
