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The Trials and Tribulations of a Stay-at-home Dad

Parenting is Tougher Than the Army

By Gary Foskuhl

In one short comment these folks make me forget all of the parental accomplishments for the week. I forget that I cleaned three cat puke stains without throwing up myself. I forget that I helped a sixth grader with his NASA-quality homework. I forget that I fed the baby, sang the theme to Bob the Builder and vacuumed – all at the same time.

With whom do I share these frustrations? Co-workers? What co-workers? I am the only employee in my building. I am the only adult who works on my shift. As a result, I get starved for adult conversation. Granted, I do get out once in a while, but the stay-at-home dads group only meets once a week, and the grocery store checkout women think that I am hitting on them. No, the sad truth is that an at-home parent is alone.

Sometimes this isolation worries my wife. You know that you have been a stay-at-home father too long when:

• You invite Jehovah's Witnesses in for a cup of coffee.
• You consider cheating at your favorite computer game as a way of "sticking it to the man."
• You look forward to the change of seasons so that you can look at different clothes when doing the laundry.
• Potatoes start to fascinate you.
• You talk to your dog way too much.
• Your daughter yells, "I spilled mayonnaise on the cat," and your first reaction is, "Do we still have enough left for potato salad?"
• You can quote the Readers Digest
  
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