Funny How Things Work Out

Being the resident stay at home dad, we get asked an inordinate number of times to help watch kids while parents work, and I don’t mind because these are our friends and the kids are nice, and it usually ends up being a party. Plus, I’m glad A&N get to have their friends over to hang/play, I never really had that when I was a kid. My parents didn’t forbid friends from visiting, but they did everything the could to discourage it.

As much as I love having friends over, it’s still ends up being more work. On the other hand, it works out well because the kids all play and are left on auto pilot while I can do things around the house, like finish a barn or prepare for the market. So I guess I should be grateful that people send their kids over... yeah right. Get real.

One of the biggest challenges is making meals, because so many of our friends are vegetarians, which means I can’t just cook up some hot dogs for lunch. I’m not averse to cooking vegetarian meals, we do it all the time, but our family is fairly receptive to whatever I make, and will generally try whatever is put in front of them. As every parent knows, not every child is like this, so not only do I have to avoid meat, but I have to make something our guests will like, and enough of it.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, I’m merely pointing out the challenges involved. However, I am also a big proponent of the fact that with greater challenge comes greater reward, and it’s very satisfying pulling off a healthy vegetarian meal that the kids like. I can feel good about being a parent, and the kids come away from it sated and happy. Ice cream for dessert helps.

You know, on the one hand, life sure would be easier if we all embraced the McDonald’s diet. Then again, we’d all be fat, depressed, and suffering from chronic diseases. Thanks, but no thanks.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to @fgr62 for the pic.