In the coming years, our balancing act may get harder. Our children are still young and go to sleepearly, which gives me plenty of time to work at night and even to
watch what Dave considers to betruly bad TV. As the kids get older, we will have to adjust. Many of my friends have told me thatteenage children require more time
from their parents. Every stage of life has its challenges.
Fortunately, I have Dave to figure it out with me. He’s the best partner I could imagine—even thoughhe’s wrong about my TV shows being bad.
Having a true partner like Dave is still far too rare. While we expect women to be nurturing, wedon’t have the same expectations of men. My brother, David, once
told me about a colleague whobragged about playing soccer the afternoon that his first child was born. To David’s credit, instead ofnodding and smiling, he spoke up
and explained that he didn’t think. This opinion needs to be voiced loudly and repeatedly on soccer fields, in workplaces, andin
homes.
My brother had a wonderful role model in my father, who was an engaged and active parent. Likemost men of his generation, my father did very little domestic work,
but unlike most men of hisgeneration, he was happy to change diapers and give baths. He was home for dinner every night, sincehis ophthalmology practice required no
travel and involved few emergencies. He coached mybrother’s and sister’s sports teams (and would have happily coached mine if I had been the slightestbit
coordinated). He helped me with my homework regularly and was my most enthusiastic fan when Iparticipated in oratory contests
with her, he would sanction everything at oncehe answered..
|
收藏
推
噓