The Real Daddy Daycare

I’m pretty sure that my wife and all those who do daycare and not lose their temper or their minds qualify for sainthood automatically.  Daycare kids become like family after awhile, and quite often when I come home, my youngest along with a daycare child will scream “Daddy!” when I come in the door from work.  It’s a wonderful feeling for the short time I get to spend with them.

Then it happened.  My wife’s Grandmother needed to have a cardiac catheterization done in Sioux Falls and she, quite understandably, wanted to be there for her Grandmother and her Mother.  I asked for the time off from work and was given the time off on short notice.  Let Daddy Daycare begin…bring it on!

Luckily most of the daycare kids were off for the holidays so it was just my youngest and one other 11 month old little boy.  Easiest day of my life, or so I thought.  It is simply amazing how packed your day can be with a 2 ½ year old and an 11 month old baby.  If one wasn’t grabbing my leg pulling himself up, the other was raiding the fridge for cheese.  While putting one down for a nap, the other one is doing something WAY to quietly to be good news.  I do have to admit that the day went REALLY fast and I survived quite nicely and even managed to fold a couple loads of laundry (with ‘little’ help of course).  Every one survived and Dad now has a new appreciation for his wife.

Now for the gloating portion of being Daddy Daycare.  I recently asked my wife if she thought my son was ready to be potty trained.  She said that he shows a little interest because one of the girls from daycare is potty trained, but that he never goes for her.  So, being the brave soul I am, I decided to give it a go.  I took off the morning diaper and told him that he could be “free” as long as he told me when he had to go.  Well, I was a little more nervous than that so I was asking him constantly if he had to go or not.  Most of the time he would say yes, but then go in and not do anything at all.  Then, it happened!  He sat on the potty, pushed hard, and out came a little trickle!  Dad gave him a “YEAH!” while clapping, to which he bared down and got a little more to come out.  Another “YEAH!” and clapping and now he was smiling from ear to ear.  So, the rest of the day was spent going in small little portions so he could get the “YEAH!” and the clapping, to which he usually joined in.

Okay, so I didn’t exactly “train” him, but I was pretty proud of my Daddy Daycare accomplishment.  Mom isn’t quite so impressed as now she spends most of her time going “YEAH!” and clapping while he tinkles a few drops in over and over and over.  My job here is done!