Wednesday 26 May 2010

First Birthday & Sickness

This child care lark is hard work - as I'm sure anyone reading this is all too aware. Especially when your baby is sick. Unfortunately our recent spate coincided with her first birthday (and mummy's birthday as well, who was also suffering). Anyway sickness over - everyone back at work and relatively normal service resumed. I've been planning on going swimming for ages - but still not got round to it, a bit like cleaning - which I have good intentions (when I remember) but never quite get round to it! Off to the zoo shortly, which seems to me much more worthwhile than dusting and dysoning.

Wednesday 12 May 2010

Hangovers

It will come as no surprise that hangovers and babies do not go well together. Add an OFSTED inspection into the mix and you've got a particularly potent cocktail. Fortunately (for me) the inspection was not at my school but my wife's. Having found out on a Friday afternoon her school was open on the Saturday - which meant I was home alone with the baby for an additional day, with a hangover. I'm certainly not after sympathy - I knew full well as I was traipsing the bars/clubs of the Triangle / Park St early Saturday morning that I'd be in charge later in the day, but after a few beers such details seem trivial.

Saturday turned out to be not too bad - I didn't get dressed all day so it was rather like being a student again and my daughter was on good form. Sunday also saw me in charge , this time minus the hangover thankfully. Don't get me wrong - I'm loving pretty much every minute of looking after my daughter but it is for only 3 days a week. My respect for those doing it on their own all week is growing daily. Not sure I could do it.

Thursday 6 May 2010

First Weeks, First Thoughts

Am about 3 weeks into my 3 days per week of looking after my daughter. So far days have mainly consisted of trips to the park, visits to playspace and shopping in Asda. Oh, and a call to 999 followed by a trip in an ambulance (on day 2!), thankfully it was not as serious as it may sound. I'm only fulfilling this role of 'stay at home dad' until September and am currently unsure if it's something I'd like to do longer term. I'm enjoying spending a lot more time with my daughter but could see myself finding the routine somewhat tiresome. Who knows? Only time will tell.
One aspect I'm yet to feel completely confident about is making sure I have everything I need when venturing out of the house. More often than not I assume my wife has the change bag fully stocked and I barely give its contents a glance as I head for the door. I'm yet to be caught short but am not sure if this is a concern held by other new-ish parents. Today I went to my first parent-toddler meeting and found myself rushing round for 10mins collecting cups, snacks, nappies, shoes, rain cover, keys, wallet, phone etc... but still worrying I'd forgotten something so important that I would not be able to cope for the 2 hours I was out of the house. Maybe it's a male thing. Normally when I leave the house on my own I'd rush out checking left pocket (phone), right pocket (wallet) and hoping my keys are somewhere there as well. The responsibility for someone else (and that someone who is totally dependent on you) means my lack of organisation and carefree attitude isn't quite the mindset needed for the situation.
However, living in a city, I never seem to be more than 5 mins from a Tesco Express which I'm sure could solve most dilemmas I may find myself in. If not, I'm pretty confident that there would have been a plentiful supply of nappy bags, muslins, wipes at the parent toddler meeting, assuming everyone else is not as slack as I am.