As fathers, and husbands, we rarely get it when our wife tell us, “I finally showered today.” Okay, I showered this morning before work, what was the issue? We never really get it until we are in their shoes. But really, how hard can it be to just get in the shower when you have little ones in the home?
I would have never thought that it was going to be that hard to be a parent and make sure I get a shower in a day. I have said it before, but a couple Saturdays a month my wife teaches sewing and I have the kids. These are moments when I get to be super close with my kids but I always walk away with a reality check.
For the longest time I would always wonder why moms in general couldn’t just jump in the shower and get ready. How hard can it be when you just have some little kids? Well, turns out, it’s a lot harder than you think.
I had just come in from going to the gym and my wife was getting ready to head over to sewing. I knew there were things around the house that I wanted to get done so I could just shower once I was done cleaning the house and let the kids watch a movie while I shower. Clearly, this didn’t work.
Once my son was settled and watching Mulan, my daughter needed to be held. As soon as she calmed down my son wanted me to get him a snack and watch the show with him. I know that it takes women a lot longer to shower because their hair takes longer to wash, legs need to be shaved (if you’re into that) and they do enjoy the alone time. I on the other hand, get in and out of the shower in a matter of minutes. But if you have ever had an active toddler, it only takes a few seconds to tear the entire house apart.
Showering is out of the question until nap time is in full swing. But then, once the kids are sleeping, showering the the last thing you think about. I want to fold the laundry, clean the kitchen floors and vacuum the house while they are sleeping because it makes it that much easier.
You complete the list you created in the morning and feel accomplished, but it’s at that moment that you hear those words, “Daddy. Come get me.” Nap time flies by, but being the single parent for the day does not fly by.
So gentlemen, I give you this, the next time you’re at work and come home to your wife not showering for the day, you thank her for every single thing she has completed that day. Showering is the last thing she wanted to get done. If you get home and the kids are dressed, the house is cleaned and dinner is made then sir, you have found yourself an amazing woman and you let her know that you could careless about if she has showered or not.
But next time, I will just make sure that instead of waiting all day to get in the shower, I will just walk right into the shower after the gym and rinse right off. I can do a more intense shower later when my wife is home and someone has an eye on the kids. We all can and should be parents, spending as much time as possible with them because this is the blessing we have chosen to be part of.
