Shout out to the Early Childcare Educators out there: Hot damn it’s hard.
For me, entering and maintaining “kid mode” requires a ton of brain power.
I’m a good dad, but I have to work for it, and by like week 2 of a childcare marathon and I’m braindead as a MF.
Be Present
This is the secret to parenting.
It’s all there is.
The more in the moment you can be, the better a parent you are.
By being present- right here, right now- you attune yourself to your child.
When you are in sync with your child, you can observe and guide your child’s behavior.
Guided behavior prevents destructive behavior.
What I can’t do is work and be a parent.
Especially the kind of creative focus work that takes the majority of my time.
And I get real antsy if I’m not doing that creative focus work for too long.
So I’m glad the kid is back to school.
I joke that I’d have a different opinion on child labor if there wasn’t a public school system.
Because I don’t have what it takes to be a professional parent.
So to the fulltime, professional parents out there: Y’all need a pay raise.
Because hot damn it’s hard.