Me and the mommies

For the last ten years of our marriage, Jen and I have worked opposite schedules. Due to these schedules, I have had the opportunity to take care of A and A2 during the day. I have had a lot of help along the way from friends and family. Thank you. Since A was two years old, Jen has encouraged me to get the kids out of the house when I am watching them. She knows that I am content to hang out inside. I started by taking A to a gymnastics class. It was a parent and child class, so I got to participate with him. I also would take A to the library. We would find a few seasonal books to check out and always looked through a Where's Waldo book at the library.

Flash forward a few years and I have the opportunity to do the same activities with A2. We enrolled A2 in a gymnastics class at the Little Gym. It was another parent and child class. I took her for two semesters and then it was time for her to graduate to a child only class. The Little Gym that she was attending closed unexpectedly around Thanksgiving. Today was A2's first day at another Little Gym location. When she woke up this morning, I told her that we were going to gymnastics. She smiled and said, "Miss Becky?" That was her favorite teacher at the now closed location. When I answered her, I was non-commital. I did not want to upset her right after waking her up.

It was time to go and we loaded up in the family truckster. When we pulled into the parking lot of the new location, A2 said, "What's this?" We parked in front of the gym, and I said, "Let's go to gymnastics." A2 replied, "You go, I will stay in the truck." So, I started my run around the truck game (I am thankful there is no video of that) to make her smile and I coaxed her into the gym. A2 was a trooper. She went in and the new teacher had her smiling and participating immediately. She ended up having a great time, in spite of one of the boys in the class trying out cage fighting moves on any child that slowed down near him.

While A2 was in the gym, I was sitting in the lobby behind the glass with all of the mommies. Over the years that I have sat in many of these lobbies watching A or A2. I am almost always the only father. Today was no exception. It was me and 5 mommies. The conversations that take place are always interesting. Most of the time, the conversation carries on like I am not even in the room. It is amazing how these women talk about their husbands. All of the talk is not negative, but a majority of the talk falls that direction. Today, one of the mommies was commenting that if her husband has something to do at home, he expects her to watch the kids. She said, "How does he think I get all of the housework done while I am watching the children? Why can't he do both?" She was further lamenting that she was going to be a single mom for the week while her husband travelled. Another mom chimed in that when her husband watches the kids, her clean up job is much worse than when it is just the kids playing. When her husband bathes the kids, the bathroom ends up in a disaster. For most of the hour, the moms were complaining. No sleep, always tired, no time, no help, lonely, kids don't behave and on and on.

I always find listening in on these conversations interesting on two fronts:

1. These women sound very unhappy with their lives. That would suck.

2. And I have never understood complaining about your spouse. After all, it was your choice to get married. Life and marriage are hard enough without undermining each other by complaining about your spouse to other people. Why not surprise the other person and actually compliment your spouse? I enjoy bragging about my wife. She deserves it!

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