Do you ever feel like you’re tag-team parenting?
It seems Andy and I do that a lot. More often than either of us would like, really.
I bet you know what I’m talking about… an intricate plan of who’s going to be on kid duty and when, in the midst of life’s other obligations.
We had one such occasion just the other night. Andy picked Kate up from the sitter, they went home together to grab a quick dinner (or lunch-dinner, as Kate called it – I guess a bologna sandwich didn’t deserve to be called ‘dinner’ in her mind), but as soon as I walked through the door after work, Andy had to run out the door to fulfill a teacher commitment. I threw Kate in the bathtub, hastily changed my clothes, and then she and I booked it downtown to meet Andy. As soon as he saw us, he transferred Kate to his car so they could go to story time at the library and I could meet a friend for water aerobics. By the time I got home, Kate was sound asleep in bed and I was ready to crash myself.
Of course that’s not how it goes every night, or even most nights, but from time to time, we do engage in a rousing game of “Pass the Baby.” Tell me we’re not the only ones…
It’s like every single day for us now. At 5:00, KT and I eat dinner, then we rush out the door promptly at 5:30 for play rehearsal. We leave Nick at home until dad gets home (usually around 5:45-6:00) Then the boys eat dinner. Then KT and I come home and it’s bedtime.
Although now with Nick’s rehearsals starting, I’ll take BOTH kids for Nick’s afternoon rehearsal and KT’s evening rehearsal and we’ll eat a packed dinner in the car. Mike is a big boy and will have to be on his own for dinner!
Tag, you’re it! 😉