On "Vacation"

I was "impacted" by a reduction in force at work. I now am at home full time. But I was at home full time before, so it's kinda weird. You know how your not supposed to hang around after you get laid off- well, as a "home assigned" employee, I sort of have to.... My staff is just as uncooperative- they didn't listen to me when I was employed, so they have kept that up now that I am a stay at home dad. Great.

I dove into the homework process with gusto- I organized Pat's binder, with tabs and inserts and clear protective sheets, along with pocket inserts and the like. I was so proud. Pat was horrified. "Geez dad! Might as well just put a pocket protector in my shirt and send me off with the geeks!" When he came home the next day (ok, I went to his classroom and picked him up, which turned out to be uncool, until the other kids saw I was their coach from NFL Flag Football and suddenly it was ok). Pat was both mortified and relieved. I had shoes on, so he didn't have a "slob dad", and I wasn't his mother, who tends to talk a lot and make the kids look at him funny, but I still did show up at his class, which isn't exactly cool. I now have a great lever for cooperation....."if you don't do your homework, I'll come pick you up at your class...".

He messed up his binder. "Had to- didn't look cool all neat and stuff". Resistor. Don't worry- I have plenty of time.

I use a version of that technique with the Princess: " do what I say or I'll come chaperon the dance; and I will DANCE in front of your friends!" Too bad Iran doesn't have dances, Uncle Sam could use that instead of invading.....( you know it's coming, don't you?)

The strange thing is that I still get up in the middle of the night and go check my Sunray for email..... sort of the high tech way of stalking I guess.