So I read this article last week or sometime about how mothers spend over 1100 more hours parenting than fathers do. However, the survey was for working mothers and fathers who average 7.5 and 4.5 hours each day respectively. It doesn't really apply to me because I average 22-24 hours a day. Yes, I count sleeping time as parenting time because often sleeping time means attempting to doze while balancing a baby on my chest. She's been having some rough nights lately...
I also had a problem with the fact that the article was basically an ad for VTech toys. Instead of buying another toy why not get Dad to change a diaper once in awhile? Or pick up a toy? Or clean her g-d hands!
I've been harboring some resentment. Last weekend Emily had a bad night when we got home from the AF Ball. I was already tired and spent, but she needed extra love. I get it. We were away for a long time (about 9 hours, the longest time we've been separated yet). The next morning Emily wanted out of bed at 6am. Guess who got up with her? Me. At around 10am I thought she wanted a nap and I brought her back to bed (where my husband had been sleeping) and tried to nap with her. She didn't want a nap. She got up at 10:15am. Guess who got up with her? Me.
At around 1pm my husband got out of bed and offered to take her while I took a nap. They went downstairs and he had some breakfast. I curled up in bed and drifted off to sleep. At 1:25pm my husband came back to bed, with Emily, and told me they were going to take a nap. Emily was not ready for a nap. Guess who got up with her? Me. After a 25 minute nap. Guess who went bad to sleep? Him. After sleeping a full 12+ hours.
I have hated him just a little bit all week. More so each time I got up with Emily every night. And day.
But then there was today. We had another rough night and she got up at 5:30am. I played with her till 10:30am and then I broke. No sleep, no naps, no break, and a headache made Mommy mad. I carried her upstairs and dumped her on the bed. He got 5 extra hours of sleep, he could watch the baby for 20 minutes. Then I went to take a shower and I locked the door.
To his credit D watched her while I showered and changed. Then he watched her while I went to Wal-Mart and got my contacts and glasses ordered. And shopped. When I got home he held her off from nursing so I could finish a row of knitting.
So, yes, in our house fathers don't spend as many hours as mothers. And sometimes that makes me mad. But those few hours I do get without Emily are so precious and so welcome that I am more grateful.
1 comment:
Sounds normal to me. That didn't happen so much with me and my son when he was a baby...
But, oddly enough, it happens often with our bird. Funny/weird, I know. But I entertain him all day. He's way needier than any baby. And then I might say to my husband over the weekend, "Can you spend time with him while I get some work done?"
He'll pick up a video game controller and then complain that the bird is all over him. Um, excuse me, I just asked to you to "spend time" with him. That means interact, not ignore! Yeesh!
Of course, a baby is different. But it's the same concept. I think that's a pretty general thing. I always spent more time with my son than my ex-husband did. My sister spends more time with her kids than her husband does. I guess the trick is to let them know we need help sometimes. LOL
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