Disclaimer: To all my truly single parent friends, please forgive this whine. I honestly don't know how you do it!

We have spent a summer mostly away from my hubby, Mr. Hero, and it has been tough! I have been "playing" single parent and I have hated it. And while Mr. Hero has also hated being away from the kids, he has gotten a benefit that frankly, makes me jealous. See, in the course of our parenting years, I have always been Bad Cop. Unlike my childhood where I heard "wait until your father gets home", I am the tough one. Most days I have accepted this as the yin and yang of our family but I can't deny that I sometimes long to be the Good Cop.

This has been exacerbated by the time away. I was the one demanding reading time and limiting Minecraft time. I was the one breaking apart the fights and I was the one fighting bedtimes. Basically, I was the Enforcer. Mr. Hero, on the other hand, lived up to his title. He got to sweep in every weekend bringing fun and pizza. He was there to sleep-in and play, not maintain schedules and routine. Basically, he was Santa to my Grinch. As I said, this is not totally new.

Here is the best example. Just before school ended, the kids were really pushing back against homework,etc. We had a rough week and had forgotten our weekly trip to get Icees as a reward for a good report from school. It was Sunday and I suggested to hubby that he take the kids to go get them. Mr. Hero actually argued with me that they didn't deserve the treat but I advocated for them as it was tied to the school chart which had been good. So he relented and called the kids in. Right in front of me, the following conversation happened.

Mr. Hero: Hey kids, you want to get Icees?
Sonny-Bunny: Yay! You're the best, Dad!
Little Diva: We love you, Daddy.
Mr. Hero: It was your mom's idea.
Sonny-Bunny: Uh... okay. Come on, let's go.
Little Diva: Yeah, let's go, Daddy!

The two ran out to put on their shoes and my husband just turned to me red-faced and shrugged. From that point on, we coined the phrase. "you're the best, dad" whenever he gets to play hero and I play wicked witch .So now we have one week until school starts and as Mr. Hero has to work nights, guess who is in charge of moving back bedtimes by over an hour? Who will get desks and calendars organized and supervise the cleaning of rooms? I'll give you a hint, the same woman typing this while debating with her daughter over seeing an inappropriate film and trying to sneak a Sprite at 8:30 in the morning .Somehow, I don't think I'm going to hear, "You're the best...Mom!"

You're the Best... Dad

Wordless Wednesday #63 - A Boy and His Dog

Sundays in My City #72 -- Through the Eyes of a Child