Nicholas is taking his first nap of the day. I love the first nap for a variety of reasons: 1. It’s normally a long ish nap (1.5-2 hours); 2. Nicholas is usually very easy to put down; 3. Nicholas wakes up a total joy from this nap. But it’s the weekend, and naps are always difficult on the weekend – even the heavenly “first” nap. After much thought and analysis, I call this issue “the Dad factor”.
That’s correct. You heard me. The Dad factor. On the weekends, Dad is home!! It’s time to wrestle, play, and subvert Mum’s rules and schedule. I love watching the two of them together, so every weekend and with a grain of frustration, I shake my head, sigh, smile at my boys who are both getting over tired (yes, that can happen to Dad too), and grin and bear it. Even though I sometimes have to spend hours mopping up tears, pacing with an 8kg baby in my arms in a dark room singing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, and even though sometimes I feel the strong and overwhelming urge to hurl the baby monitor onto the floor, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
The Dad factor comes into play in other less frustrating ways also. Bath time and bed time are different. Instead of rubber duckies, “splash splash revolution” comes to town. Instead of a soothing story about three bears (a Karamello Bear, and Holly Berry Bear, and a Nicholas Bear btw… we’ve tailored the story somewhat), Nicholas is regaled with stories of Dad’s crazy workplace. Milk time becomes a downright wrestle between myself and Nicholas, as he constantly strains to maintain eye contact, smile, and laugh at his Dad, preferring to do these things over drinking. And play time (complete with soft toys) sees Mr. Rac Rac (the Racoon) being “eaten” by Lejon the Lion; Mr. Robato (the Robot) coming to the rescue, and Raffie (the Giraffe) ultimately saving the day.
The Dad factor makes me reminisce about spending time with my own Dad. Spending time in the garage, watching him work on the car or help me with a particularly tricky homework assignment that involved building things (a pyramid and a kite spring to mind almost instantly). Crawling under the house after my Dad, carting wheelbarrows filled with dirt and sand or bricks from one end of the garden to the other. Building lego houses and being instructed in the correct way to “lay” the “bricks” so that my house walls are strong. These kinds of experiences fill my childhood, and I think helped to shape me into the person who I am today. I always felt (feel) safe with my Dad. I can run any idea by him and never feel judged (although I’m sure he has hung his head with frustration and disappointment about some of the choices I’ve made in my life), and if I really need to, I can run to him for help.
That’s the kind of relationship that I want Nicholas to build with his Dad, so Dad factor, come on in. It’s a mixed bag of goods, which I wouldn’t trade for the all world.