Parenting solo

Last night The Boss had a long list of work and social activities to tend to after her work day ended, so I was on daughter duty, with no net below.

I don’t know what it is about knowing you’re parenting solo, but it still makes me a little nervous whenever I look at the clock on my computer screen. Yes, even 18 months after becoming a father.

Maybe it’s the fact that I have to get out of work at 5 p.m. so our poor babysitter doesn’t have to stay in the eye of The Hurricane any longer than necessary.

Or maybe it’s because I know I have to pick up, drive, de-coat and de-boot, feed, water, clean, change, bath, read to, rock and drop this wild-child all on my own, with nobody there to say, “Here you friggin’ idiot, let me do it.” (I’m paraphrasing, The Boss only thinks about calling me a friggin’ idiot, but I know … I know).

So, even on a random Wednesday night, the pressure was on. The pick-up I managed (albeit, not until 5:35 p.m. because of work issues – sorry Carolyn!) and I even got her in the door just fine. Then, because she won’t stop saying (Musical) ‘Baby on’, I put her favourite DVD on while I fried us up a pizza.

And then, once we got settled in, it was like nothing. Food, check. Water, check. Time out for pulling the dog’s hair and screeching ‘No Dadda!’ when I pried her hands off the dog, check. Book, check. Bubble bath, check. Jammies, check. A quick rock, a goodnight kiss and a soundly sleeping baby a few minutes before her regular bed-time, check, check and check.

And I was worried? Shee-it.

I guess it’s just because Moms are the favourite and so damned good at what they do, that it’s easy to just let the jobs that don’t involve rolling around on the floor tickling baby tummies fall to them. So when we have to do everything ourselves, it can be a little daunting.

But it’s a good reminder for myself to know that I can pull off a victory when parenting solo.