They are making fathers from a different mould now. Which can be annoying sometimes given their interference with all things kids. "Brush them like this", "It is ok, if their tummy is full", "Pick sandals not slippers". God, they have an opinion on everything. But then they have a partnership in everything too. And I am loving that!
Every time my parents come over, I can see how impressed they are with him. My mother-in-law will not stop raving about how wonderfully he looks after the kids, without any shouting and time outs (yes, I get the point there), in my absence. My friends always tell me how I should count my blessings. The really close friends even insist he is doing a better job than me. Strangers give him the look of approval and even the house help would rather go by his father's instinct than wait for my opinion. Thankfully he realises none of it.
When he wakes up before me and gets their breakfast made to their liking. When he feeds them, bathes them and gets them ready for school. When he calls time and again to check if I have picked them on time. When he asks about their day at school, listens to their chattering and carries them around on his tired shoulders. And then finds time to read to them before bed. He feels neither great, not special and nor supreme. He feels just that, a father.
Honestly I am not in awe of him. And just because I am a work-from-home-mother and around the kids more, I do not feel that he is doing a favour for me or that I am doing any less. Yes, I would love to have his cool when the kids refuse to eat their healthy dinner, meal after meal. I would love to be carefree enough to allow them to jump, hop and ride their scooters through my drawing-room. I would love to have the courage to see them play under the hot sun. Most of all I wish I had his maturity to understand that my kids are individuals with their own respect, boundaries, like and dislikes.
I also wish the kids would squeak at my entry in the house as they do at his. I know, I know I should not take it personally, but it does pinch me sometimes to feel that the kids love his company more. And while there have been times I might have felt guilty about leaving my kids home to watch a late night movie, it would have been nowhere near his. I am tempted here to admit that he might be more a mother than I am. But I would be insulting him and all the fathers like him by saying so. Because a father does not need to match up to a mother or vice a versa. A father is as much a caring, loving, sacrificing parent as a mother.
Shh, let me not say it any louder or you will know my secret. Yes, I am in love with my kids' father. And people like him deserve a Happy Father's Day.
As usual an excellent short article, it shows your caring & observing nature towards happenings around you. You quietly admire your kids father whom you are in love with lovingly playing, reading, bathing, in short enjoying the childhood of the twins so why hate to admit it as we said it is your nature enjoy and love each day together.
Thank you Inder Uncle.As usual very kind words from you.
Touchwood. God bless you madam.