At this point in my life, each new day brings about humbling experiences. There are constantly challenges and problems to solve, as well as fire to put out. Some days I feel that I just can’t keep up. Actually, I am not talking about being a dentist. No, I’m talking about being a good dad.
Fortunately, every other day I get some respite. I get to go to the office and have adult conversations and work on teeth. It’s the days in between, those with my little boy and little girl, that seem to wear me out. I wouldn’t trade those days for all the money in the world and the good news is that I get to learn something new each day. For those of you who have yet to have kids, as well as you grandparents out there who have forgotten some of the finer points of infants and toddlers, here are a few things I’ve learned lately.
Schedules and routines are great. When it was just us and Parker, we knew when naptimes, feeding times, and bedtimes would be. Add any more kids to the mix and the schedule can get out of whack real quick. Sometimes, it’s easiest to ignore the parenting “book” and go with the flow.
As much as I hate this, it is pretty much impossible to be on time anywhere. See above.
The brand of diaper you buy really is unimportant. That is unless you care how much actually stays in the diaper and how much gets smeared across car seats, new rugs, starched shirts, etc.
If it can be reached and knocked off of the table it will. You might as well budget for a few ruined things. Messy is the new beautiful.
Nothing in this world beats a smile in the morning or good night hugs and kisses. A child falling asleep in your arms is a gift from God.
There is a difference between Hand Manny and Bob the Builder. Confusing the two is akin to you or me seeing Ty Pennington and calling him Tim “The Toolman” Taylor. Get it straight.
Many times, you will roll into work with the Barney song in your brain. Come to think of it, the world might be a better place if that was in all of our thoughts.
The laundry never ends. I’m not sure how such little people can generate the tonnage of dirty clothes that seem to accumulate around our house. I swear the washing machine never stops.
There is never enough time in the day. Accept it and let a few things go. The mowing can wait until tomorrow. The house will never be “straight.” It’s always more important to lie on the ground and wrestle with your kids. The day will come when that cannot happen. The grass will still be there.
Until next time, keep smiling.
‐Questions or comments can be sent to Drs. Parrish at ParrishDental@aol.com.
