Working from home -- especially when you have children around to also care for -- requires a certain self-discipline, but even the most organized and motivated of us can falter at certain times of the year like the winter holidays or the summertime. I speak from personal experience. Since I left my old office job to become a full-time dad who works from home, optimizing time has become essential. I've found the best hours to work are in the morning when the boys have school and at night after they go to sleep. Today's smartphones work almost as well as laptops do so I sometimes squeeze in … [Read more...]
Time Flies, Parents: Spend More of it Wisely with Your Kids
It should be the easiest thing in the world for me to do. As an at-home dad, you’d think all I did was hang out with my kid, right? Yes and no. It’s complicated. While my 2-year-old son comes first, I do work. Real estate doesn’t sell itself (well, kinda, but that’s not the point). I also oversee events, social media and more for the Anchorage Dads Group; I’m on the board of a nonprofit, and I have to jam in time for my wife as well. Life is busy. My son, and his associated care, consumes a lot of time and takes priority over everything during the day. Everything revolves around his … [Read more...]
Giving Time, Not Money, Priority for a Healthy, Happy Family
Even before becoming a dad, I always thought my role as a father was to be the family’s provider. I grew up in an environment where undoubtedly that was the case, and it was reinforced by the corporate environment where I started my career because the culture there highly valued money over time. Therefore, it’s no surprise that I grew fascinated with focusing on my career and making as much money as I could, even at the expense of my personal time. Then -- boom. My wife and I had to deal with a series of health issues. First, it was mine: a serious case of shingles that evolved into … [Read more...]
Life After Being At-Home Dad Gets Squirrelly for This Guy
The show's over; time for everyone to go home. My last kid has started school. I am no longer an at-home dad. Now I suppose I’m just unemployed. That’s fantastic for the ego. I mean, really great. It’s always nice to see yourself taken down a peg or 50. Over the last month, I’ve gotten the question, “What are you going to do now with all your free time?” What free time, I’ve got lists a mile long! Time is accounted for, and it demands to be paid, credit not accepted. So what do I do now? Well, basically I sit in the house and wonder why Oprah has abandoned me. I mean, not to be a dick … [Read more...]
At-Home Parent Promise Kept, Struggle to Let Them Go Begins
"No," I say. "He's not ready." At the bus stop, my wife shakes her head and sighs. She is disagreeing with me and showing her exasperation. She's a great multitasker. My fifth grader, Wyatt, and my youngest son, Oliver, adjust their backpacks. "It's my call," I say. "He's ready," she counters. "I'm Dad. I've been here since the beginning. I was the one that quit my job to stay home with the kids. It's my call." That should count for something. That should give me the absolute final decision about whether my son is ready for kindergarten or not. I say he's not. My wife … [Read more...]
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