Going where no Father has gone before…

10:30 am

As I sit here in my green high back chair in my living room, I am surrounded by various sounds. I hear to my left an out of tune piano played by my three year old daughter, Railene. She is mashing the keys to the tune Waymaker by Leeland, playing through Alexa on the fireplace mantle. This music melody is being hijacked by my youngest son Isaac, 19 months old, as he flips a three drawer storage bin full of toys, an attempt at percussion possibly? Not likely, as his accomplished track record of firing toys around the living room is unmatched; the evidence is before my eyes. In the midst of this “music symphony” Isaac’s older twin sister Ava is walking around with an empty toothbrush wrapper swinging it like a conductor.

Meet my new mornings.

This is day two of my days off and day two of Melissa, my wife, working at her new job. As a man this is uncharted waters for me being the primary caretaker at home. Sure I am working four days and then off four days however being alone without my spouse is so different, especially when caring for our four children.

I appreciate all you stay at home moms and dads who are the primary parent at home, especially those who have multiple children. Being able to juggle the runny noses, food stained furniture and children quarrelling over toys is a constant effort and from my experience as a father, a full time job in itself. Yet, in the midst of this chaos at times, you are number #1. Thats right uno, eins, you are main one in their lives. The primary defense, the teacher, the caretaker, their love example and so much more. Don’t belittle that. Don’t think that your role as a parent who stays at home is any less important than the person serving coffee at a coffee shop to the CEO of a multi-million dollar company. You are impacting thousands.

“Hold on Christian,” you might say, “Do the math, you said you have four kids not thousands of kids?”

True, I do have four kids however I am teaching my children who will then in turn interact with hundreds of people over their lives, who will then engage with other people…the list goes on. Therefore, you are important and you are valued. Remember that today when washing your dishes or scrubbing the booger stains off your children’s clothes or the crayon marks off your nice living room wall (those walls you try to keep safe).

You are Invaluable.

P.S. I can say with honesty that I started this blog at 10:30am, and now I am finishing it at 6:00 pm. Sound familiar?

Christian