Hero
My kids love their mama. I am certain of that. But they adore their daddy.
Maybe it's just the fact that I'm always here, wiping up the poop and and the snot and the vomit. I don't go away every morning and then reappear triumphantly at the end of the day. Or maybe it's a gender thing; even at their young age, they recognize me as simply an older version of themselves, whereas Daddy represents the fascinating Other.
For whatever reason, the girls pretty much think Daddy is the greatest living being ever to walk the face of the earth.
Case in point: At dinner the other night, Eric tells a really cheesy joke. I don't laugh. "Oh, you're sooo funny," I say. Eric replies, "I *am* funny. I'm hilarious!" And, on cue, with zero prompting from anyone, Beth says, "Daddy is funny!" and Lucy chimes in, "He's hilarious!"
I don't think that starting his own personal fan club was the reason Eric wanted to have children, but it's a side benefit that I don't think bothers him at all.
Remember how I mentioned the "reappearing triumphantly at the end of the day" thing? Well, I wasn't kidding about that. As dinner time approaches, the girls watch the big front window carefully. And when the black pick-up pulls up to the curb, they rush the door like crazed fans at a rock concert. Screaming his name, jumping up and down, grabbing at his legs. They're not begging him to autograph their T-shirts, but that probably just hasn't occurred to them yet.
Whereas mom is more like a favorite blanket: absolutely essential to one's stability and peace of mind, necessary at naptime or when you're bleeding or crying, but not really worthy of hero-worship.
Whatever it is, I think I'm about ready to throw in the towel on this whole being-the-mom business. Can I have a turn being the daddy for awhile?
Daddy: the man who can do no wrong. After all, what's not to love? He takes them camping in the back yard and pretends to eat the plastic chicken out of their little pink lunchboxes.
Maybe it's just the fact that I'm always here, wiping up the poop and and the snot and the vomit. I don't go away every morning and then reappear triumphantly at the end of the day. Or maybe it's a gender thing; even at their young age, they recognize me as simply an older version of themselves, whereas Daddy represents the fascinating Other.
For whatever reason, the girls pretty much think Daddy is the greatest living being ever to walk the face of the earth.
Case in point: At dinner the other night, Eric tells a really cheesy joke. I don't laugh. "Oh, you're sooo funny," I say. Eric replies, "I *am* funny. I'm hilarious!" And, on cue, with zero prompting from anyone, Beth says, "Daddy is funny!" and Lucy chimes in, "He's hilarious!"
I don't think that starting his own personal fan club was the reason Eric wanted to have children, but it's a side benefit that I don't think bothers him at all.
Remember how I mentioned the "reappearing triumphantly at the end of the day" thing? Well, I wasn't kidding about that. As dinner time approaches, the girls watch the big front window carefully. And when the black pick-up pulls up to the curb, they rush the door like crazed fans at a rock concert. Screaming his name, jumping up and down, grabbing at his legs. They're not begging him to autograph their T-shirts, but that probably just hasn't occurred to them yet.
Whereas mom is more like a favorite blanket: absolutely essential to one's stability and peace of mind, necessary at naptime or when you're bleeding or crying, but not really worthy of hero-worship.
Whatever it is, I think I'm about ready to throw in the towel on this whole being-the-mom business. Can I have a turn being the daddy for awhile?
6 comments:
What a perfect picture. :) Even though my son is only 15 months old we still deal with this. So maybe it has nothing to do with the mysterious Other. :) Kaden does the same thing. He isn't quite patient enough to sit at the window and watch for Daddy to come home, but as soon as he hears the screen door he is off and running. But having only had 15 months of being the 'security blanket' I'm not quite ready to be the Daddy yet! :)
Seriously! What a is the deal with Daddy getting all the admiration? I wouldn't mind a little adoring sometimes!
This made me laugh! I could hear their little voices. And Eric's too.
So true!
Young ladies, when you are older you will be very pleased with how this all plays out, trust me I know:)
I am so there with you! The only time I've ever received the rock star treatment is when I've gone away for the weekend.
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