jeudi 27 avril 2017

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Dad Gives "Props" to Single Parents After His Wife Goes Out of Town

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We've likely all heard someone say, "now I know what it's like to be a single parent!" when their spouse goes on a work trip or a weekend getaway. It's one of those common phrases that really gets to me because it's just plain wrong.

I'm not a single parent, and although I don't presume to have the first clue what it's really like to raise kids without a partner's help, I have always been quite certain that the time I've spent with my kids solo is simply not the same thing as being a day-in, day-out single mom or dad.

So when a Reddit user posted his thoughts on how he's "been managing as a single dad" while his wife was "traveling on business this week," I felt my eyes roll back in my head. Until I read on.

In six bullet points, the father of a 13-month-old boy gave "props" to single parents and managed to say everything right.

  1. Normally my wife and I share the load pretty equally, but in the last few days it feels like I have more than twice my normal responsibilities because there's no break until the baby goes to sleep. He even sits in the bathroom with the door closed if I have to pee!
  2. Anything to be done around the house, whether it's cooking or cleaning must be done with the kiddo close by. This evening I was cooking dinner and practically tripping on him because he has nobody else to interact with.
  3. My wife and I each make a good salary and our family is financially secure. But if you're a single parent on one income, working up to two jobs or even more jobs to make ends meet, I can only imagine how exhausting every day is.
  4. I'm always conscious of the risks of drinking too much or slipping in the shower or a sudden stroke or any of a hundred possible things that could happen that would leave my baby defenseless for days.
  5. We have no family or close friends in the area to help out. Single parents in the same situation have no relief. It's a 24/7 job. I'd probably have to move closer to my family if this were a permanent situation.
  6. Being a temporary single parent is manageable because I know it's temporary. My wife is only gone a week+. I know she's coming back soon. If she weren't, knowing that I would face the same struggles every day for years is intimidating.

His self-aware statement has rightfully gotten praise on Reddit from dozens of the single parents who, as he wrote, "are like superhumans to me."



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