It's bizarre being a Dad
Got a 3 year old who I've mentioned in a few QOTWs previously and I wouldn't trade her for the world. It's only recently that I've noticed a few things from my childhood that seem to be different her own;

1. Waking up: I would wake up nice and early and always have a nice breakfast waiting for me. With the nipper she does everything within her power to get away from the brekkie table, and negotiations on the scale of a UN conference are required to maintain her seated presence and munching of the important meal.

2. Going to primary school: I used to get dressed in school uniform after brekkie and then proceed miserably to school, with the company of either me mum or dad. Even though I was one of the most alert there I wasn't really a sociable kid with the other children. Me daughter on the other hand literally drags us to school once she's ready and has lengthy conversations with her teacher about ANYTHING. Talk about a "Sword of Damocles" feeling; she's got one hell of an imagination on her and does quite frequently make up random facts about us.

3. Fixing toys: when I was a nipper if anything broke it was me dad who was there to happily pick up a screwdriver, mallet or whatever was closest (in one case a car battery, see here) and would grin and smile as he would get them working again. I'm the same with me daughter's toys, but more often or not when her back's turned I'm cursing like fuck under my breath as I'm trying to ram a barbie leg into a skirt for her.

4. Outdoor excursions: "I wanna go down the park!" was met with a smile and a pair of shoes (weather permitting) as we made our way there, whether a small walk down the road or a trip through a local forest. Nowadays it's "IT'S RAINING AGAIN. I'll get the Toy Story 3 DVD out..." (I live in Swansea, we were born with Kagools already on). If by the freak of nature water isn't flooding from the heavens then once she's wrapped up in as many layers as we can manage to the point where she can only walk like E.T. we will jump in the car and drive to the nearest habitable playground i.e. the one with the least amount of empty syringes in it.

5. Dinner time: "I'm hungry daddy!" would result in the grill going on and food being instantly cooked and supplied with a smile. Not now. "Fuck it, we'll get a Happy Meal" is met with smiles of delight (in fairness that's only once a week but that's still once more than it should, utter bilge food).

6. Bath time: after a day spent playing hard dad would run the bath and under supervision I'd spend a good half hour having fun and getting cleaned up, ready for bedtime. Today I live in fear of her soaking the entire bathroom floor as she splashes like a Titantic season ticket holder while playing with sponge letters that seem to end up in every corner of the bathroom.

7. Bedtime: after saying goodnight I would get tucked into bed properly (ie not with his penis you dirty fucks :p) and sleep all night, ready for the next day. A normal night with the daughter is once she's cleaned her teeth she hops into bed and demands a story. Somehow this became a high-pressure moment as she literally goes nuts unless she hear's something resembling a plotline. In fairness though I always manage to pull something random out and she's happy after 5 minutes (stories include King Arthur and the Dragon with toothache, bizarre versions of the Three Pigs and a Wolf who's sick of salad and Hansel and Gretel who would fuck over a kitchen for sweets).

Rinse and repeat and that in a very basic nutshell is the current parenting structure. I've just typed this out while she is currently huffing over brekkie, so negotiations need to be renewed. Although in fairness she's recovering from a cold and just coughed up her first loogie!!!! Had to open the back door and she spat it out, was soooooo proud :D
( Jeccius Steam Borderlands 2 junkie, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 7:59, 2 replies)

This^
Are you spying on me?
( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 9:52, closed)

Me too!
You're not alone
(adgta Here 'cos popex died, Tue 30 Nov 2010, 12:27, closed)