I brought my daughter to work today. It wasn’t Take Your Child to Work Day or anything. My wife planned to volunteer at my sons’ school, and I had crap to do at work, so my daughter came with me. She’s four-and-a-half.It was awesome.As a dude I don’t feel that neverending battle that so many women feel: Family/work. Family/work. Family/work. What to choose? Why do I have to choose?Nope. I didn’t give birth to any of my four children, so society has decided that I can just go to work everyday and not feel bad about leaving them behind. For some reason they’re not able to take care of themselves as soon as they come out of the womb, but why’s that my problem?I’ve got a penis. It’s not my problem. It’s my wife’s problem.I’ve worked full-time our entire marriage. I’ve taken a week or ten days off each time we’ve added another kid to our family, but after those few days I go off to work just as before and my wife is left to nurture, feed and enlighten this new person we created. All I have to do is show up at work and collect a paycheck.Who got the easier end of that deal?Now, before you think that I’m some absentee father who thinks that I don’t have to be involved in their lives because I bring home the bacon, let me set you straight. I love my kids. And I don’t mean in that 1960s emotionally detached father sort of way.I mean I really love my kids. I love being around them, I love spending time with them, I love listening to them, I love talking to them, I love tucking them in at night, I love cutting my sons’ hair and braiding my daughter’s hair. I love them, and I can’t imagine how much less-rich (emotionally and spiritually I mean, not financially. Those damn people are moneysuckers) my life would be without them.But as involved as I am in their lives, I can’t help but think of the sacrifices my wife has made for them. She earned her teaching degree ten years ago and hasn’t worked full-time since because she’s been growing or taking care of our kids.Her body completely changed while she was having kids, and then when she was done having kids she changed it again so it’s even better than it was before kids.She went about ten years without a decent night’s sleep. If I go four or five hours without decent sleep I’m punching my pillow and kicking the foot of my bed. She somehow managed to nurse and care for a brood of kids without punching them, or stabbing me as I slept soundly right next to her.Anyway, I kind of felt like today was one small step toward a tiny, miniscule, almost not-even-noticeable sort of redemption. My wife wanted to do something, and I brought my daughter to work with me so she could do it. Granted, the something that she wanted to do was for two of our other kids, but hey, at least I was able to help a little.So I threw some books and markers into my daughter’s backpack and off we went. (In interest of full disclosure, we also brought her Kindle, which she used to watch YouTube videos for a little while. Sue me.)It’s been a long time since I’ve had such a good day at work!
She colored. She “read” books. She drew pictures. She had me write out cryptic phrases she needed to know for some game she was playing like “Buried treasure” and “Don’t dig deeper.” She marveled at how the building I work in looks like a princess castle. She complained about how many steps she had to climb. She ignored strangers who said hi to her and complimented her on her curly hair. She ate an orange, a cookie and a bag of chips as a mid-morning snack, and then a bagel for lunch.I got some work done. Sure, we wandered around a bit when I should have been working. And maybe the lunch hour became a lunch hour and fifteen minutes. And maybe her laughter was a little louder than it should have been in a workplace.But who cares? I got to spend the day with her, and not even sacrifice a “sick” day or a vacation day. She got to see where I work and meet new people. And my wife got a one day respite from having to provide for her every need.I wouldn’t trade today for anything.PREVIOUS POST: Motorcycle Gang Wars Seem Silly to MeIF YOU LIKED THIS POST I BET YOU'LL ALSO LIKE: Warning: It's Wife Appreciation Day!+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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