Isolation during the pandemic has been stressful, to say the least. Some of us are totally alone, since we have no family in the house with us. Others feel trapped at home with energetic or bored family members, especially parents with young children needing to be kept occupied.
My son still goes to work, as his job is considered essential. His wife has been working at home all this time, while supervising their daughters to complete school assignments online. She created a schedule of activities for the kids for the summer. Plus, she has sewed over 300 face masks to give away. I think she’s a saint for all she does!
But Daddy still does his part when he comes home. Brian realizes and appreciates all that his wife does. He may not tell her that, but he shows her by his actions:
- On Mother’s Day, he piled their daughters into his car and brought them to my driveway for a couple of hours, so Mommy could have some quiet, alone time for her Mother’s Day. It was great for me too!
- When he stops by for a visit on his day off, the girls come with him, even if it’s a just quick visit, to give Mom an occasional breather.
- As the girls are growing and hormones are raging, he steps in when needed to try to handle their erratic emotions, even though he didn’t have any sisters and has no idea what they’re going through.
- He’s learned the value of patience, which he saw in me and in his dad many years ago. And today, he does the “dad sigh” as well as anybody. (If you don’t know what a “dad sigh” is, hang around someone with preteen girls and you’ll hear it. A lot!)
- Even though he hates his job, Brian sticks with it because he loves his family more than he hates the work. And they know it.
- He tells the girls every day how much he loves them.
Those girls have no doubts at all that their daddy loves them. He has since the first time he saw each of them (and I have the pictures to prove it!). He tucks them in every night with a story, a tickle time, a hug, and a kiss. And he spends time with them, plays with them, and listens to them.
I wish I had grown up with a dad like that.
But I’m proud of the dad my son is.
