My preferred description of what I’m doing now is “homedadding”. I think I picked this term up from a Care for the Family course I did just before she was born. Basically, I look after her two days a week.
So far, it’s been a very different experience from anything else I have done in my life. I’ve had a varied CV so far: teacher in various capacities, but soon only to be one day a week; church leadership; and now this.
We did not think this would ever happen of course, after six-and-a-half years of trying and investigations. That was one of the reasons why I’m homedadding, to make the most of her being around.
It’s domesticity. Looking after the home. Doing the washing, garden, cleaning, etc. It’s fun. Playing with Eleanor, helping her to get to grips with this big wide world of ours. It’s routine. Giving her feeds, naps. It will be much else too. Today, it was actually being home when the electric meter man came.
I’m quite happy with all this. Housework is OK by me; fun definitely is; I am a creature of habit & like routine quite a lot. What I have yet to get to grips with is meeting other parents, who of course will largely be women. I aim to go to a parent and toddler group locally, but that’s currently not happening over the summer. Will I feel an oddity?
Another question is: how will all this fit in with church & school? August is not a normal month to find out. Guess I have an easy way in to start off.