Mothers have that natural nurturing ability. They want to calm the child when they are fussy, keep their noses (and face) free from snot, and have them dressed in the cutest attire. For fathers, those nurturing qualities do not come naturally. We stumble around to find a "happy" medium between meltdown and serenity. Yeah some guys are more into kids than others, and some may be more "present", but for the most part it is all about fun!
I have caught myself laughing at my child when they are crying for no (good) reason. The more mess, the more for the dog to eat. So the socks don't go with the jacket and the diaper is falling off. So what if he wants to wear his (or her) winter coat while eating dinner. The kid is happy! Yes, I have had the teeth into the forehead and the bloody nose, but the kid was dying with laughter and begging for more. The best is when there is so much splashing in the bath tub there is more water on you and the floor than in the tub.
This is all well and good, but I do wonder if I will always be the "fun one"? I have looked at my daughter as she was about to put dog food in her mouth and said in a stern tone, "Now Honey, I wouldn't do that." And that brings on a meltdown, and dog food she won't let go of until you find something else she can't have to switch it out for. (The trick is to switch out a knife for a fork, and then a spoon for the fork, and then a toy for the spoon. To try and go from knife to the toy would just be ludicrous).
That said, of course I want to be the fun one. And maybe the stern one too, when the time comes (we aren't there yet). Dad's just have a different way about them.
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