Like most of us, my time is not my own during the week. Even though I'm lucky enough to get home from work fairly early, dinner time, bath time, homework time, and reading time still sucks the entire evening away. By the time the kids are tucked snug in their beds, visions of tomorrow dancing in their heads, there usually isn't enough energy left to do much more than collapse and get ready to do it all over again the next day.
As a result, I've developed a bad habit. On Saturday nights I have date-night with the TiVo. It doesn't really matter what I'm watching -- a Stanford basketball game, Grey's Anatomy, the Office, or even a Seinfeld episode I've already seen a thousand times -- it only matters that I'm not watching Caillou, Dora the Explorer, or Hannah Montana.
The problem with this is that I usually end up falling asleep on the couch...
And so it was last Saturday night. One minute I was watching a sweet History Channel documentary called "Life After People," the next Alison was kissing me on the forehead.
Usually it's a pretty nice thing to be awoken by your daughter with a kiss on the forehead on Sunday morning, but something was different on this particular Sunday morning. It was still dark outside. No problem, I thought. I'd just send Alison back to bed, I could get back to sleep, and we'd reenact this scene in a few hours.
But just as I turned over to fill Alison in on the new plan, I noticed something that made my heart sink. Kate was sitting on the couch next to me.
Daddy: Is Kate awake, too?
Kate: Yes.
Daddy: Alison, did you wake up your sister?
Alison: Yes.
Daddy (absolutely incredulous): Are you fucking serious? (Relax -- I only wanted to say that.)
Alison: Yes.
Daddy: What time is it? (fumbling for phone in pocket)
Daddy: Are you kidding me? 5:58?!? -- this is absolutely ridiculous! You two need to go back to bed!
Kate: No want go bed. Watch Caillou!
Daddy: Sweet mother of god.
Hi,
I’m doing outreach for two new public service announcements from the Ad Council about fatherhood just in time for Father’s Day. As you know, children with involved, loving fathers are significantly more likely to do well in school, have healthy self-esteem and avoid high-risk behaviors such as drug use, truancy, and criminal activity compared to children who have uninvolved fathers. I’m hoping that you can share this important message with your readers. Here are the two informative (and entertaining) videos:
Fatherhood Involvement - Cheerleader
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A2Ap3DyvLg
Fatherhood Involvement - Super Soaker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fhnrtlckm0
Thanks so much for your help and Happy Father’s Day!
Posted by: Dorothee | June 12, 2008 at 11:23 AM