My husband and I went out to dinner the other night. Not something we get a chance to do overly often, and something pretty rarely done sans kiddos. At dinner, I asked him what he wanted to do for Father's Day. After a brief chat, it turns out he essentially wanted to do exactly what I had wanted to do for Mother's Day...NOTHING!
And by "nothing", here's the way a perfect Mother's/Father's Day breaks down in the Schmidt household:
1. In-charge parent (me on Father's Day, him on Mother's) gets children up, dressed and ready for the day. Said parent then removes children from house for several hours so designated parent may have a quiet start to his/her day and take the every important nap. If you're the father in this scenario, somehow you manage to get in 2 naps before the family returns to the house!
2. After several hours have passed, in-charge parent returns to house with children, designated parent's favorite cup of coffee, treats of some sort and the ever important presents. Children, of course, have helped select said presents and get very excited giving presents to designated parent. Children's delight makes designated parent a little weepy (especially the mother parent) and gives the in-charge parent warm fuzzies.
3. After presents are received, designated parent most likely rises from bed and then gets to take a shower...in peace. In-charge parent occupies children so designated parent can shower for as long as desired.
4. After a leisurely morning, the whole clan most likely travels to see one or several grandparents, depending on how many were visited earlier in the weekend. On the visits, in-charge parent takes control of all children's wants/needs/squawks, while designated parent gets to visit, explain his/her blissful morning, etc.
5. After visiting for the day is complete, family returns home, children take naps, designated parent takes another nap.
6. As children awaken, in-charge parent takes children, removes them from earshot until designated parent is ready to join in the fun.
7. After dinner prepared by the in-charge parent, in-charge parent then bathes children and gets them ready for bed, while designated parent reads or watches tv or does whatever s/he chooses to do.
8. In-charge parent promptly falls asleep on the couch approximately 7 minutes after putting children in their beds.
9. At bedtime, designated parent falls comfortably to sleep, thinking lovely thoughts about the day, the children and the spouse. Looks forward to next year.
Who would have ever thought that Mother's/Father's Day would trump birthdays or Christmas?!
