I was already sweating. Crammed in between chairs and dodging elbows attached to scissor-wielding hands that were dancing around wet heads, I didn’t have space to take off my jacket or my huge scarf. So I stood there, smiling at the reflection of my daughter. She was silently cringing as a stranger brushed her hair, which was a hilarious contrast to the seemingly uncontrollable screeches I got treated to when I did the same thing. I caught her eye and smiled at her before getting sucked into the conversation happening next to me.
“So you’re watching the kids today, eh?”
A small Italian man with a big New York City accent was snipping away at another man’s head, the guy’s newly shorn sons wrestling in a chair nearby.
“Giving the wife a break?”
That’s all it took. Frustration and rage boiled up inside of me until I felt like a kettle on the verge of shrieking. I felt my face become tomato red as the two men chuckled and shrugged as if they each understood what it was like to have to take one for the team.
There were so many things I wanted to say right then.
Hey assholes, you can’t watch your own kid!
“Watching” is something babysitters and other people who are not directly responsible for a particular human being’s creation do. Grandparents can watch. Teenage neighbors and friends of the family and college kids home on break can watch. Dads do not watch.
When a dad spends his day with his kids it’s called parenting. It is not a task or a chore or a favor so that “the wife” doesn’t have a nervous breakdown. It’s his god damn job. I mean, is anyone going to ask me if I’m “giving the husband a break” while I’m out with my daughter? No. No one will even notice.
Having a vagina does not make a person solely responsible for the little humans that come out of it.
The last time I checked, parents are equally responsible for their children. They make decisions together. They provide for them together. They take care of them together. It’s highly insulting to both moms and dads to subscribe to the bullshit mentality that a dad should get a gold star for being involved in the lives of his children. That shit should be a given. No pats on the back. No special shout outs.
What kind of message are you sending your sons with your bullshit small talk?
You might think it’s harmless chatter, but the message you send is clear: a woman’s place is with the children. For men, kids are something to put up with when it becomes critical, but otherwise you’d rather not be involved. Is that really what you want them to hear? Do you want them to feel your aloof detachment? Years from now, do you want them to take that idea and transfer it to their families?
I peeled my scarf off carefully as I felt myself get more and more riled up. My daughter caught my eye in the mirror and made a face at me. I immediately felt the tension between my eyebrows lessen as I smiled at her, steam releasing from the angry kettle. The frustration was still there, but I felt a small comfort in the fact that at least she would know better.
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Hi! I'm Jen, a freelance writer and girl mom who loves reading the newest children’s books as much as I love a good psychological thriller. I believe fiercely in the power of kindness, empathy, and really good quality chocolate. When I'm not knee-deep in glittery crafts and girl talk, you can probably find me sprawled out on my couch in the middle of a Netflix marathon with dark chocolate smeared on my face. The struggle is real. 
This.
Thank you! Sometimes I go on tangents and I’m not sure if it will resonate with other people or if I just sound like a whiny (feminist) lunatic. It makes me feel slightly less spastic when someone can relate. lol
When my kids were little, my husband would tell me that he had plans on the weekend and that he couldn’t watch the kids. Really? So going shooting with your friends, spending time playing video games all weekend, is WAY more important to him then spending time with me and his own THREE children?
I gave up a long time ago. I don’t plan anything unless I can take 2-3 of my kids with me. I haven’t gone out on a weeknight or weekend night with another female in I don’t know how long. I have gotten used to not being able to openly talk with another female about anything unless it’s online or over the phone, and even then, I have to go hide some place or call someone when the kids are outside playing. I get hardly any alone time or time to myself.
ME time, what is that? My kids fight, who takes care of that? I do. Kids need help with something, it’s all on me. House needs cleaning. Again, all me. Rarely does he pitch in unless I BEG him to do so. And even then, it’s a toss up.
We had it out this morning, long story short. I apologized to him and he then told me that he was sorry too. First time in forever actually that he said that he was sorry about something.
Amen. This *JUST* happened. My mother asked my wife if I was going to be ‘babysitting my son’ tomorrow. No. No, I won’t be. I will be parenting.
Thank you.