Few things have upset my son more than our attempt at naptime today. When we got upstairs, I turned on his white noise/ sleep machine only to be rudely greeted by a flashing power light. Uh oh. I did some of the standard pseudo-technological fixes (i.e.- turning it off and turning it back on again), but had no luck. My son came over and took a look (seriously), but he couldn't figure it out either. Luckily, there's an app for that. I believe I've written about it before, and it was just about as successful as the last time we tried it. Part of the problem is that it just isn't loud enough. The other part of the problem is that my dogs can't keep their hairy butts on (or under) the bed.
About twenty minutes after he finally fell asleep, Ellie, also known as "The Worst" around our house at various times throughout her life, started scratching her way out from under the bed for no reason at all. Sure enough, this was louder than the sound machine and woke him up. He was NOT happy. Even more unhappy than before he actually fell asleep. It wasn't pretty. The only thing I was able to accomplish during the short break was find out what was wrong with the sound machine. Thanks to some helpful comments on Amazon, I found out that the issue was a faulty memory card. I called the manufacturer and they sent out a replacement right away. My wife picked up a cheap and temporary alternative on her way home, and we crossed our fingers that it would do the trick at night. Thank goodness it did.
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Today was the official first day of Spring, and that means one thing: free Rita's water ice! It was a very nice day, so we gassed up the stroller and traveled the half-mile to receive our prize. I got vanilla for me and lemonade for him (less mess), and we found a shady spot to finish it off. A few scoops in, I heard the unmistakeable sound of multiple gunshots- not the controlled and unrealistic kind you hear on TV, but very real and dangerous gunshots. Just a few seconds later, I heard and saw several police cars race around the corner. Other than one experience on in Philadelphia where a man ran by our car firing a gun, I think this was as close as I have been to a violent crime. Luckily for both my son and I, it was still several blocks away. Unfortunately for my wife, it was right down the street from her school. As far as I know no one other than the criminal himself was injured, but it was still a scary series of events. The worst thing that I actually had to deal with ended up being some sticky hands and cheeks from an increasingly independent eater.
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Someone was up sneezing and coughing throughout the night, and that same someone seemed find when he woke up in the morning. Someone else decided that someone was well enough to go to music class. That didn't work out so well for either of the someones. Ah well. There will be other weeks.
(KEY: Someone = my son; Someone else = me)
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I dropped off my car last night for inspection and had to pick it up today in order to make it to my wife's doctor's appointment later in the day. Completely disregarding the timeline, we walked to a nearby playground before lunch. Strangely, my son had little interest in anything but carrying around his diaper bag- both on and off of the equipment.
In between chasing him off of the adjacent private property and trying to calm him down by conjuring Swing Bunny, I received a call telling me my car was done. We packed up and walked the mile or so to pick it up, and I decided to take a quick look at the new cars on the lot while we were there. We're still in the process of looking for a new car. One particular salesman has dealt with us more than any others, and he was on me within 45 seconds. Luckily, I had the out of saying it was naptime. And it was.
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Today was one of the earliest mornings we've ever had (on purpose). Today was my school's "JJ Day", a day of activities named for a former student who passed away when he was in 8th grade. The morning activity is a talent show, and I always help out in some way. I was asked to do so this year, and based on my son's fantastic behavior at all other school events, I said I would.
I woke him up roughly two hours before he normally gets up on his own and gave him breakfast on the way. I also packed heavy (as far as snacks go) in an attempt to keep him both busy and happy. The show had already started when we arrived, as two 7th grade girls that assisted me with the sound for the Fall musical had also been asked to help out. Despite a few small miscues, the show would have gone on without me. I wasn't at all upset by this since it showed that I did a good job teaching these girls in the first place. It also gave me a chance to see what Taylor Swift has been up to (there were no fewer than three acts that chose her songs). As expected, my son made lots of friends- especially a certain row of 8th grade girls. The show was over before we knew it (and before the snacks ran out), and we packed up and left. We made a brief stop by my parents' house, but no one was around. Oh well.
We returned home with plenty of time before lunch. We took advantage of yet another beautiful day and headed to the playground. I made sure to hide the diaper bag this time. He went straight for the 5-12 equipment, and we were soon joined by several other childern aged 4 years or so. He tried very hard to have a conversation with them, flailing his arms all about while struggling to put words together. The targets of his tale just stared at him for a bit before continuing their playtime. It didn't upset him too much; maybe he was just telling them he wanted to be alone.
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Days 75, 76, and 77
We were supposed to go to a new music and storytime class this morning to replace the one that ended last week, but my son didn't get up until around 9:30, and the class started at 10. Oh well.
I had to go to school today to take care of some paperwork, but what I had hoped would be about a 45 second drop-in turned into a roughly 45 minute stay. I'm not complaining; it gave several of a my coworkers a chance to meet (and fawn over) the 17-month old version of my son (who evidently is adorable). Ever since I worked retailed, I've always disliked when people who aren't working show up at work. Jeez, we'll see you tomorrow, guy! I've tried to stay away from doing it because I don't want it to seem like I'm there to show off my son; that's just what it happened to turn in to.
I called my dad after we left school to see if we could meet for lunch. Even though he had already eaten, he still invited us over so we could eat our lunch. We had a nice quiet visit before light started peaking through the naptime window. It was important that we didn't stay too long because I really didn't want him to fall asleep on the way home (and he didn't).
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One of us didn't wake up until 10 today. I won't say who. I will say that sleeping so late is putting a real damper on a very important project on which I'm supposed to be working.
My son loves hats. Not wearing them, mind you, but rather taking them off of my head and putting them back on just slightly and crooked. Today he took my hat and put it on top of Ellie's head and applauded himself. Apparently not completely pleased with his work, he adjusted it and clapped again. She just let it all happen. Good dog.
I thought of one more thing to get my wife for Christmas, plus we needed some pet supplies, so we went out for a little bit of shopping. As a result of the late wakeup call, I didn't get a chance to shower beforehand. I just threw on my clothes from the day before and went out anyway. I think that officially indoctrinates me into the world of stay-at-home-(whatever).
I needed to get Christmas presents for the dogs, so we returned to Petco (where my son had expertly rearranged the dog treats just a few days before) and I grabbed the first two bags that he had chosen on our previous trip. I think he was a little hurt that I didn't let him carry them, but we didn't have a lot of time to waste. In fact, because I was in such a hurry, I completely forgot to pick up food and treats for the chinchillas. So as soon as we checked and walked out, we walked right back in and went through the line again. Slow down, Daddy!
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It was another late morning today, but this one was totally not my fault. Our only plans for the day were maybe going to school again for our annual student/ faculty basketball game, so I was really in no hurry. Like I said before, I don't really like to go to work if I don't need to be there (I had volunteered to help with the game if it was necessary), so it wasn't a top priority.
After a quick lunch on the road, we did manage to get to school in time for the game. He was far more into it than I could have expected. I held him for the first few minutes, but he let me know when it was time to get down. Then we stood in a corner of the gym until he decided to sit on my shoes for a while. When I got tired of standing, he sat on my lap. When he got tired of sitting, he got up and stood relatively still right in front of me- intently watching all the while. He never does these things at music class or storytime- not enough action for him, perhaps. If nothing else, we do live in the right school district for sports...
We left school around 2 so he could get home for a very late nap. He kept himself busy (and awake) with his arm in his snack container and went down very easily when we got home. I even got to take a nap before Gram came over to watch him while I went back to school to announce a high school basketball game and Mommy enjoyed her school's Christmas party. Mommy has one more day of work this week before we get to enjoy our second Christmas with our little man!
I had to go to school today to take care of some paperwork, but what I had hoped would be about a 45 second drop-in turned into a roughly 45 minute stay. I'm not complaining; it gave several of a my coworkers a chance to meet (and fawn over) the 17-month old version of my son (who evidently is adorable). Ever since I worked retailed, I've always disliked when people who aren't working show up at work. Jeez, we'll see you tomorrow, guy! I've tried to stay away from doing it because I don't want it to seem like I'm there to show off my son; that's just what it happened to turn in to.
I called my dad after we left school to see if we could meet for lunch. Even though he had already eaten, he still invited us over so we could eat our lunch. We had a nice quiet visit before light started peaking through the naptime window. It was important that we didn't stay too long because I really didn't want him to fall asleep on the way home (and he didn't).
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One of us didn't wake up until 10 today. I won't say who. I will say that sleeping so late is putting a real damper on a very important project on which I'm supposed to be working.
My son loves hats. Not wearing them, mind you, but rather taking them off of my head and putting them back on just slightly and crooked. Today he took my hat and put it on top of Ellie's head and applauded himself. Apparently not completely pleased with his work, he adjusted it and clapped again. She just let it all happen. Good dog.
I thought of one more thing to get my wife for Christmas, plus we needed some pet supplies, so we went out for a little bit of shopping. As a result of the late wakeup call, I didn't get a chance to shower beforehand. I just threw on my clothes from the day before and went out anyway. I think that officially indoctrinates me into the world of stay-at-home-(whatever).
I needed to get Christmas presents for the dogs, so we returned to Petco (where my son had expertly rearranged the dog treats just a few days before) and I grabbed the first two bags that he had chosen on our previous trip. I think he was a little hurt that I didn't let him carry them, but we didn't have a lot of time to waste. In fact, because I was in such a hurry, I completely forgot to pick up food and treats for the chinchillas. So as soon as we checked and walked out, we walked right back in and went through the line again. Slow down, Daddy!
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It was another late morning today, but this one was totally not my fault. Our only plans for the day were maybe going to school again for our annual student/ faculty basketball game, so I was really in no hurry. Like I said before, I don't really like to go to work if I don't need to be there (I had volunteered to help with the game if it was necessary), so it wasn't a top priority.
After a quick lunch on the road, we did manage to get to school in time for the game. He was far more into it than I could have expected. I held him for the first few minutes, but he let me know when it was time to get down. Then we stood in a corner of the gym until he decided to sit on my shoes for a while. When I got tired of standing, he sat on my lap. When he got tired of sitting, he got up and stood relatively still right in front of me- intently watching all the while. He never does these things at music class or storytime- not enough action for him, perhaps. If nothing else, we do live in the right school district for sports...
We left school around 2 so he could get home for a very late nap. He kept himself busy (and awake) with his arm in his snack container and went down very easily when we got home. I even got to take a nap before Gram came over to watch him while I went back to school to announce a high school basketball game and Mommy enjoyed her school's Christmas party. Mommy has one more day of work this week before we get to enjoy our second Christmas with our little man!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Day 8
As expected, there was no run today. Today's weather was really annoying; most of the day it was just a steady mist, and it was just enough to not allow us to go outside. We did all of our normal routine, watch episode 2 of The Hour, and waited around to go to band practice. Then we found out that band practice was cancelled. This was not one of the more exciting days, but it did give us lots of time to hang out together.
My son has recently discovered a small ledge in front of our fireplace. He likes to climb on it and pull himself all the way up to his feet using the door handles. Each time, I pull him down, tell him "no", and put him down in front of something with which he is allowed to play. This is not working. Inevitably, he slipped on the way up, and though he did not get hurt (it's roughly 6 inches off the floor), the shock caused him to fake-cry a little. Tomorrow I'll be looking for options to keep him away from the fireplace altogether. We don't use it all that much, but if we ever do, I don't want him to think it's a cool place to hang out. Because it's not. Because of the fire.
Soon after his faux-fall, I out him down for his afternoon nap and decided to make up for my lack of exercise this week with a little P90X. I put in the Cardio X disc, having only used that particular disc once or twice in the past. I must have forgotten that it's the shortest workout of the program, and roughly half of it is stretching and yoga. Regardless, I did the whole routine, cooled down, and managed a shower before my wife got home.
She was only home for a short time before she had to leave again for Back To School Night. I had just started watching the Modern Marvels episode about Disney World (and Land), and I know how much we both enjoyed our last trip there (about a third of the way through her pregnancy), so I paused it and did the dishes before she got home. While we watched the show, I thought about how amazing it will be to take our son there for the first time. My wife has vowed to never again go to Disney World in any month other than January (it was close to empty the last time we went), and coincidentally the Disney Marathon is in January. If I'm still anywhere near marathon shape by the time he is old enough to appreciate the trip, I think that would be an ideal time to go.
She left for school after dinner, and my son and I got ready to watch the Phillies. He was so excited that he pooped his pants. He's a very excitable boy, it seems. We played a little Gently Toss the Baby on the Couch, and he showed me his new affinity for pressing his face up against a mesh storage tray (of which I promptly sent a picture to my wife) while we waited. Despite a small blowup as he watched her leave, he handled things really well. She was home soon enough and ready for some baby time before bed.
My son has recently discovered a small ledge in front of our fireplace. He likes to climb on it and pull himself all the way up to his feet using the door handles. Each time, I pull him down, tell him "no", and put him down in front of something with which he is allowed to play. This is not working. Inevitably, he slipped on the way up, and though he did not get hurt (it's roughly 6 inches off the floor), the shock caused him to fake-cry a little. Tomorrow I'll be looking for options to keep him away from the fireplace altogether. We don't use it all that much, but if we ever do, I don't want him to think it's a cool place to hang out. Because it's not. Because of the fire.
Soon after his faux-fall, I out him down for his afternoon nap and decided to make up for my lack of exercise this week with a little P90X. I put in the Cardio X disc, having only used that particular disc once or twice in the past. I must have forgotten that it's the shortest workout of the program, and roughly half of it is stretching and yoga. Regardless, I did the whole routine, cooled down, and managed a shower before my wife got home.
She was only home for a short time before she had to leave again for Back To School Night. I had just started watching the Modern Marvels episode about Disney World (and Land), and I know how much we both enjoyed our last trip there (about a third of the way through her pregnancy), so I paused it and did the dishes before she got home. While we watched the show, I thought about how amazing it will be to take our son there for the first time. My wife has vowed to never again go to Disney World in any month other than January (it was close to empty the last time we went), and coincidentally the Disney Marathon is in January. If I'm still anywhere near marathon shape by the time he is old enough to appreciate the trip, I think that would be an ideal time to go.
She left for school after dinner, and my son and I got ready to watch the Phillies. He was so excited that he pooped his pants. He's a very excitable boy, it seems. We played a little Gently Toss the Baby on the Couch, and he showed me his new affinity for pressing his face up against a mesh storage tray (of which I promptly sent a picture to my wife) while we waited. Despite a small blowup as he watched her leave, he handled things really well. She was home soon enough and ready for some baby time before bed.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Day 4
While on the trail today, a fellow runner called out to me as he ran towards us in the opposite lane. At first I was a little bothered by his words because I thought he said "Get rid if that, and get some speakers"- referring to my preference of listening to podcasts such as The Grizzly Bear Egg Cafe when I run. Many runners (mostly the serious, talented ones) have a disdain for those who run while using earbuds or headphones. In fact, many races forbid runners from using such devices; they say it's for safety reasons. I once shared an article with my students about a woman who won a marathon only to have her prize stripped from her because she was using an iPod during the race. Strangely, the second place winner was also disqualified because she consumed an unauthorized liquid provided to her by someone other than a race volunteer. While I understand the need to establish rules and consider everyone's safety, I have yet to encounter a runner who listens to his music at such a volume that he is unable to react to the customary "on your left" warning when he is about to be passed. Regardless, I wasn't happy with his comment. Then, a split second later, I realized what he actually said, and I felt bad for not acknowledging him. His advice- "Get rid of that (the stroller), and get him some sneakers". If I had heard him correctly through his panting, I'm still not sure what I would have said. I probably would have over-explained how good of a walker he has become in such a short time, and how he started on Father's day, and that we were lucky enough to catch his first steps on video, and that he likes to chase me around the couch, and countless other things I wouldn't have been able to fit in the second-and-a-half I had to respond. Instead I just nodded.
I noticed today how nice it is to talk to another adult once in a while. I'm only four days deep in this experience, and the one thing I truly miss about working is occasional interaction with my peers. I found myself rambling when on the phone with an old friend this evening. I caught myself and apologized. I imagine I'll be doing a lot of that over the next year. During a tough day at work, I could always count on a laugh while eating lunch with my fellow teachers. While my son and I certainly make each other laugh, his sense of humor is yet to develop past fart noises, pratfalls, and silly faces. Come to think of it, that's not all so different from lunch at school.
I noticed today how nice it is to talk to another adult once in a while. I'm only four days deep in this experience, and the one thing I truly miss about working is occasional interaction with my peers. I found myself rambling when on the phone with an old friend this evening. I caught myself and apologized. I imagine I'll be doing a lot of that over the next year. During a tough day at work, I could always count on a laugh while eating lunch with my fellow teachers. While my son and I certainly make each other laugh, his sense of humor is yet to develop past fart noises, pratfalls, and silly faces. Come to think of it, that's not all so different from lunch at school.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Day 3 - First Day of School
For the first time in roughly 28 years, I was not present for the first day of school. It was really weird reading so many Facebook statuses (stati?) discussing nerves, disdain, etc. for 7:00 AM on August 29th. Of course, my wife had added reason to dread the first day of school this year. She had the rare opportunity to stay home with our son for the first 13 months of his life, and she hasn't been excited about leaving him for a few minutes let alone several hours at a time, 5 days a week. While it wasn't easy for me to go back to work and leave him each day, she hasn't known life without him since he's been around. As much as I admire her for doing such a great job taking care of him for the past year and change, I also admire her strength in returning to work this year. I can't imagine exactly how difficult it is for her, but I got an idea when she came home today. Our son was nearing the tail end of a 3 hour nap when she got home today. Stepping through the door without a word, she began crying. She made it through the whole day with her game face on, but when she got home it hit home. I hugged her and told her to go up and wake him up, as he had been sleeping long enough. She said she didn't want to wake him, but she would go up just to see him. Sure. I was able to observe both of their faces as he rolled over and woke up, but I could have just looked at one of them and seen the exact same joy. But then some dust got in my eye, so I had to look away. Regardless, it was nice to see their reunion, and the novelty of it isn't likely to wear off.
So what kind of adventure caused my son to sleep for roughly half of the school day? Surely it must have been something quite grand. Nope. We went to a nearby Arby's to wait in line and try to get a voucher for 52 free sandwiches.
The restaurant had gone bankrupt and closed several months ago, brandishing a sign that read "Closed Permanently". Guess not. Someone else bought the building and decided that the area needed roast beef and curly fries. They also elected to offer the aforementioned vouchers to the first 50 customers on the day of their grand opening. Though it was the closest Arby's to us (nearer by roughly .8 miles), my wife and I avoided it because their meat was always so dry. What is the point of investing in a Big Montana (is that still a thing?) if it's going to taste worse than how I imagine Montanan soil to taste? (There is no point; that's the answer.)
After his morning bottle, I packed up and drove the 6 minutes to Arby's. The line spread from the far side entrance, around the front, and through the parking lot. Counting the small children in line, an eyeball's guess put the number of hopeful sandwich-eaters at around 70. This begged the question- how literally would management take "First 50 customers"? Surely they didn't consider infants to be customers. Naturally they would have the common sense to limit one per household. But what of the backlash that they would certainly face from an angry family of 12 bussed in from the city, sporting matching tie dye wolf face t-shirts and beltless acid-washed jeans? While I pondered the issues and my son finished the breakfast bar I brought along for him, the line actually began to grow. Of course people were saving spots in line for late-arriving friends. Of course they were. Would no one step up, speak up and be the line policeman? They would not. It was at this moment that I began picking specific people in line that, regardless of whether or not I got the prized sandwich voucher, I would still be satisfied if they too got shut out.
This brought to mind a similar situation from a few years ago when I was waiting in line for the latest and greatest iPhone. A man in front of me brought along his small child to wait in line with him and serve as proxy to get his wife a new phone. On this day, the line would be policed. Other potential buyers, regardless of their position in front or back of him, cleanly berated this man for exploiting his child in this fashion, even taking a moment to attempt to explain to his progeny what absolute garbage his father was. It gets better. When the man finally got in the store to purchase his phone(s), the cashier discovered that he was only carrying cash. Apparently one could not purchase an iPhone without cash on this day. He was forced out of line (kicking, screaming, and swearing- naturally) and to an alternate counter where he had to first buy gift cards before he would be allowed to buy the phone. I reserved one ear for the scene he was performing while I signed away the next two years of my cellular life. I have no idea if he got an iPhone that day, and frankly, I don't care. It was just nice to see a group of people come together with a common interest. It was also nice to see the guy come unglued and inconvenienced. I just hope his kid has the common sense to run away from home at an appropriate age.
Needless to say, we didn't get our free sandwiches. The line was cut off just a few heads in front of us. Had I not taken the time to dress and feed my son before departing, we would have been successful. We would have also been trashballs. Regrets? Nah. The members of the overenthusiastic first-day crew were calling customers by first name as they delivered orders to the counter and were nice enough to give my son (unsolicited, I assure you) and me coupons for free shakes. My son also again won the unofficial "Best Behaved Small Child In The _______" award, soundly defeating the mulch eating toddler a few spots in front of us. I've got to think he's way ahead on points right now, but we'll see how the rest of the season plays out.
So what kind of adventure caused my son to sleep for roughly half of the school day? Surely it must have been something quite grand. Nope. We went to a nearby Arby's to wait in line and try to get a voucher for 52 free sandwiches.
The restaurant had gone bankrupt and closed several months ago, brandishing a sign that read "Closed Permanently". Guess not. Someone else bought the building and decided that the area needed roast beef and curly fries. They also elected to offer the aforementioned vouchers to the first 50 customers on the day of their grand opening. Though it was the closest Arby's to us (nearer by roughly .8 miles), my wife and I avoided it because their meat was always so dry. What is the point of investing in a Big Montana (is that still a thing?) if it's going to taste worse than how I imagine Montanan soil to taste? (There is no point; that's the answer.)
After his morning bottle, I packed up and drove the 6 minutes to Arby's. The line spread from the far side entrance, around the front, and through the parking lot. Counting the small children in line, an eyeball's guess put the number of hopeful sandwich-eaters at around 70. This begged the question- how literally would management take "First 50 customers"? Surely they didn't consider infants to be customers. Naturally they would have the common sense to limit one per household. But what of the backlash that they would certainly face from an angry family of 12 bussed in from the city, sporting matching tie dye wolf face t-shirts and beltless acid-washed jeans? While I pondered the issues and my son finished the breakfast bar I brought along for him, the line actually began to grow. Of course people were saving spots in line for late-arriving friends. Of course they were. Would no one step up, speak up and be the line policeman? They would not. It was at this moment that I began picking specific people in line that, regardless of whether or not I got the prized sandwich voucher, I would still be satisfied if they too got shut out.
This brought to mind a similar situation from a few years ago when I was waiting in line for the latest and greatest iPhone. A man in front of me brought along his small child to wait in line with him and serve as proxy to get his wife a new phone. On this day, the line would be policed. Other potential buyers, regardless of their position in front or back of him, cleanly berated this man for exploiting his child in this fashion, even taking a moment to attempt to explain to his progeny what absolute garbage his father was. It gets better. When the man finally got in the store to purchase his phone(s), the cashier discovered that he was only carrying cash. Apparently one could not purchase an iPhone without cash on this day. He was forced out of line (kicking, screaming, and swearing- naturally) and to an alternate counter where he had to first buy gift cards before he would be allowed to buy the phone. I reserved one ear for the scene he was performing while I signed away the next two years of my cellular life. I have no idea if he got an iPhone that day, and frankly, I don't care. It was just nice to see a group of people come together with a common interest. It was also nice to see the guy come unglued and inconvenienced. I just hope his kid has the common sense to run away from home at an appropriate age.
Needless to say, we didn't get our free sandwiches. The line was cut off just a few heads in front of us. Had I not taken the time to dress and feed my son before departing, we would have been successful. We would have also been trashballs. Regrets? Nah. The members of the overenthusiastic first-day crew were calling customers by first name as they delivered orders to the counter and were nice enough to give my son (unsolicited, I assure you) and me coupons for free shakes. My son also again won the unofficial "Best Behaved Small Child In The _______" award, soundly defeating the mulch eating toddler a few spots in front of us. I've got to think he's way ahead on points right now, but we'll see how the rest of the season plays out.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
It Begins
Let me explain. No, it's too much. Let me sum up.
My name is Kevin. I am 33 and live in Sinking Spring, PA. For the past 11 years, I have worked as a junior high school teacher in the school district from which I graduated. For much of that time I have worked part-time for Philadelphia Phillies, played drums in several bands, and announced high school sports. My newest projects are finishing my third Master's degree, training for my second marathon, and teaching my first drum student.
On July 13th, 2010, my wife and I welcomed our son into the world. My wife, also a teacher, was able to spend the following school year at home completing graduate level classes online and taking care of the baby. Throughout the year we discussed our future plans: namely what we would do when she had to go back to work. If we had created a list on our options, day care would have been at the very bottom. Our parents are all very busy, so working out a schedule to find someone to watch him during the day would be quite difficult. Looking to work from home, my wife attempted to get a job with a cyber school. She was perhaps too honest about her motive during the interview process, and that likely disqualified her from consideration. If she chose to quit her job outright, we would have to pay back all of her compensation from the past year. There was no easy answer.
The school year went on, and we still had not reached a decision. All the while there was an option that neither of us were very excited about: I could stay home. She didn't like it because it would mean that she would have to go back to work. I didn't like it because it would mean that I would have to alter my "go-go-go!!!" lifestyle. However, it soon became the only practical choice. I decided to be an adult for a change and do the best thing for my family. I met with our district superintendent, explained my plans to finish my current graduate program, and it was settled. For the 2011-2012 school year, I would be on professional development leave and be a stay-at-home dad.
So that brings us to this evening. As I sit here and type this, my wife, coworkers, and other teacher friends are sleeping, having gone to bed anxiously anticipating their first day of work later today. It's 1 o'clock in the morning, and I am the most relaxed I have been in years. I know my son is going to wake up somewhere between 9 and 10 o'clock. I know I have to take him for an 8 mile run after that. I know my wife is coming home for lunch at 11:30. I know I have to lay down some drum tracks at 6. What I don't know is pretty much anything else about how this year is going to play out. And I couldn't be more excited.
Welcome to SabDadical.
My name is Kevin. I am 33 and live in Sinking Spring, PA. For the past 11 years, I have worked as a junior high school teacher in the school district from which I graduated. For much of that time I have worked part-time for Philadelphia Phillies, played drums in several bands, and announced high school sports. My newest projects are finishing my third Master's degree, training for my second marathon, and teaching my first drum student.
On July 13th, 2010, my wife and I welcomed our son into the world. My wife, also a teacher, was able to spend the following school year at home completing graduate level classes online and taking care of the baby. Throughout the year we discussed our future plans: namely what we would do when she had to go back to work. If we had created a list on our options, day care would have been at the very bottom. Our parents are all very busy, so working out a schedule to find someone to watch him during the day would be quite difficult. Looking to work from home, my wife attempted to get a job with a cyber school. She was perhaps too honest about her motive during the interview process, and that likely disqualified her from consideration. If she chose to quit her job outright, we would have to pay back all of her compensation from the past year. There was no easy answer.
The school year went on, and we still had not reached a decision. All the while there was an option that neither of us were very excited about: I could stay home. She didn't like it because it would mean that she would have to go back to work. I didn't like it because it would mean that I would have to alter my "go-go-go!!!" lifestyle. However, it soon became the only practical choice. I decided to be an adult for a change and do the best thing for my family. I met with our district superintendent, explained my plans to finish my current graduate program, and it was settled. For the 2011-2012 school year, I would be on professional development leave and be a stay-at-home dad.
So that brings us to this evening. As I sit here and type this, my wife, coworkers, and other teacher friends are sleeping, having gone to bed anxiously anticipating their first day of work later today. It's 1 o'clock in the morning, and I am the most relaxed I have been in years. I know my son is going to wake up somewhere between 9 and 10 o'clock. I know I have to take him for an 8 mile run after that. I know my wife is coming home for lunch at 11:30. I know I have to lay down some drum tracks at 6. What I don't know is pretty much anything else about how this year is going to play out. And I couldn't be more excited.
Welcome to SabDadical.
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