The Novelty of Daddy

Did you know that most daddies spend 17 minutes a week with each of their kids? I read that little statistic somewhere this week. I have to admit it shocked me!! Yesterday was daddy's only day off in 7 days. This is the week he works 74 hours. I know our daddy isn't the only one who has crazy hours so I really am not complaining about it. I know better. But what this is about is the one day off that daddy does have. He is a novelty to the kids on that day. He can't go to the bathroom without someone following him (sometimes it is even me :) He has a laundry list of important things that need to be done and of course that conflicts with his personal list of what he would like to do. And where do the kids fit in with all that? It is a big deal when they wake up and daddy is home (he usually has gone to work by the time they get up.) Yesterday morning he wanted to get started cleaning the garage before it got hot. It was 7:30 in the morning and the kids wanted to go outside with him. His first reaction was no they can't come out. I asked "Well, if they obey and stay out of the way and help when asked can they just hang outside with you?" "Sure. OK" As we all know, it takes twice/three times as long to do something when you have 3 pair of little hands wanting to help. So out they all went until school time. Then because I had a doc appointment daddy got to make lunch and put Boop down for a nap. All of it is the same thing we do every day BUT daddy was doing it today. We spent the rest of the afternoon with ballet and tumbling and of course the kids wanted daddy to go with but he had other things that had to get done. When we got home we ate with daddy and he helped with baths. I can't imagine how hard it must be sometimes to have to divide your time with things you want to do and things that need to be done all during the few hours a week you are home. Yes, this is a crazy week but the flip side of that is the following week daddy doesn't work quite so much. I think we are one of the blessed families. If I sat down and added up every minute my hubby spends with our children, I have no doubt it is more then 17 minutes in a week . . . .