by Marc Parsont
I do not own my life anymore. I drive to soccer. I drive to karate. I drive to school. I drive to the doctor’s office—frequently. I drive to fix the cars that drive the kids to soccer, karate, ballet and yoga.
I drive to the grocery store. I drive to the grocery store. I drive to the grocery store again.
I am being driven insane. […]
by Marc Parsont
Men are like auto mechanics.
We haven’t been primary childcare givers for more than just gender and birthing ability. We do things, look at things differently. Groups supporting men being primary caregivers exist to ease the mind of women/mothers and to hide how men actually relate to one another. […]
by Marc Parsont
I never met a sale I didn’t like. The Battle Cry of the Parsont Clan is, “It’s On Sale!” Wilma Flintstone and Betty Rubble could “Charge It,” all day because they’d be left flapping in my wake. And why, you ask, should you care?
I plan on buying enough school supplies for our kids—for the rest of their natural lives. One time, one trip, and we’re through. […]
by Marc Parsont
The creator of MotheringintheMiddle.com thinks that as Mr. Mom (Mr. Stay-At-Home-Midlife-Mom), I’m also “EveryMan.”
Yes, I am a stay-at-home father, but frequently very comical in my attempts. I nearly burned the house down twice, once by cooking baby nipples down to a black tar with the second time gloriously wiped clean from my memory by six years of changing diapers, wiping tears from faces down to polishing poopy smeared backsides. Poop is close to writing in many cases or is frequently the end result. […]
by Marc Parsont
Image courtesy of Mr. Mom, the movie
Dear Reader: This is a recent Millenial Influx commentary on Mr. Mom(s) and our own Mr. Mom – Marc Parsont’s response –
“Is Mr. Mom home? If you’re asking this question today in 2013, you are more likely to hear a positive answer than you would have 10 years ago. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of stay-at-home dads has doubled over the past decade. Why the increase in stay-at-home dads? There are many speculations as to why the number is rising. A study done by Boston College found that although popular speculation may lead us to conclude that dads are staying home more because of the recession, it is actually found that the increase of dads at home may be due to evolving gender roles and choices that our society is making.”
by Marc Parsont
As we rush by Mother’s Day and push toward Father’s Day, I’d like to remind everyone that loving your children is more important than gender. Being the primary caregiver in any relationship, male or female, isn’t easy, but using gender as the sole criteria is passé, as passé as pay phones, records (please bring vinyl back), lava lamps and politicians who believe in compromise.
Men can’t lactate or give birth, but from what I’ve heard from women, that may not be such a bad thing. The act of childbearing doesn’t always equate with good child rearing. […]
by Marc Parsont
Mother’s Day terrifies me. I have an opportunity to make up for everything I may have done poorly, am doing wrong or will do poorly as a husband and as the caretaker in the house. If I get it right, brownie points until her birthday. If I get it wrong, the Sirens will howl for my head.
So, it is with this thought that I share the following: I was shopping for cards for my wife for Mother’s Day, when my friend Virginia sidled up to my cart. After we greeted each other warmly, she looked at the cards (plural) in my hand and started on a diatribe that I wouldn’t have expected coming from her. […]
by Marc Parsont
I have become…a soccer mom.
Car pools to ballet, soccer, art class, camps, play dates, school(s), and it’s just beginning. It’s going to get worse.
It was o.k. being the vacation pack mule. I have qualifications for lifting car seats, backpacks and 20 suitcases for an overnight trip. I’m male and I’m breathing. […]
by Marc Parsont
My daughter loves wearing those “Scrungy” things in her thick, beautiful, curly long toffee- colored hair. Both our current Bolivian and former Brazilian au pair take those beautiful locks and twist, twine and twirl those tresses into works of art. (Men: Don’t try this at home without female supervision.)
Image courtesy of www.endoflow.com
by Marc Parsont
I’d like to offer apologies in advance to those of you who love Valentine’s Day and find my thoughts saccharine-religious. I don’t always spend my time thinking of things like this. Oh, no, it sometimes gets worse.
I wonder how old Cupid is and why he’s still wearing a Toga? Is he a party animal? Does he get drunk and stupid like we did when we were young and throw up on the floor? Who cleans it up? Do mother or father clean up after their little Cupid? (Midlife parents would do anything for their children, overlook any problem, for even terribly misbehaved ones like Cupid.) […]