Many women feel pressure to be the perfect mom. But if you’ve ever come home from work to a partner with a YouTube-loaded cell phone in one hand and a chip in the other while the kids are running around wreaking havoc, then she’s likely reached overload and it might be time for you to step in to give your wife a break.
Every parenting situation is different than the next, but I’m going to give you 4 foolproof ways to not only give your lady the much-needed break she deserves, but also help you expand your skills as a Dad and be a modern-day hero to the people that need you the most.
Errands — Errands are a great ally in this situation: When you’re operating a family unit, your house is importing or exporting goods at all times, so there is always an errand to be run that can get you out of the house and the kids away from your wife. So if you see that your partner is looking burnt out, GET GOING. Here are some great places to go to.
A. Grocery Store — Kids love snacks. Your house needs food. Boom.
B. The Bank — You deal with the money, your child gets a lollipop.
C. Library — Return that book and avoid that late fee while expanding your child’s mind (and maybe your own too) in this fortress of knowledge, FREE OF CHARGE. Need I say more?
D. Hardware Store — Knock one off the Honey Do List, and introduce your kids to the world of trinkets that fill up most hardware stores. They won’t know what they’re for, but it’ll be a constant source of wonder to them.
E. Returns Drop Off — If you’re like most parents in today’s world, you’ve got an Amazon account and you do a lot of shopping through the internet. Inevitably you will buy items that aren’t what they said they are, and now need to be physically dropped off for return. So bring that kid along while making your money back!
Errands are so great too because they are for kids of all ages. No kid is too big or small to tag along on these missions, and you can take hours to accomplish them. By the time you come home, Mom’s battery should be recharged and your chances of fun adult time later just went up drastically.
Now three more.
- Send her to the movies — In a world where Netflix has become the norm, I cannot stress enough how crucial a solo date to the movies can be for a parent: There’s nothing like sitting in a dark room with state of the art audio/visual technology, escaping into a different world for a couple of hours. She will return home refreshed, with a renewed sense of being alive…if the movies any good, at least. If the movie stinks? Well, there’s still Buncha’ Crunch, and that’s sure to help something.
- Walk the dog — They are man’s best friend, and never more so than when you’re wife needs a break. Put your baby into their push-car, strap up the dogs, and get going. A nice, long walk will give everyone the needed reset, and your dogs will be happier and healthier for it too. *Note*- if you don’t have pets, just take the kid(s) on a walk. If you don’t have a push-car, GET ONE. They are game-changers!
- Yard projects — What needs doing around the yard? Likely some maintenance and unfinished projects, am I right? I’m sure you can think of something. Luckily, children love playing outside, and getting them out there with you creates the barrier of space your wife needs to reset. Raking leaves, digging that hole in the garden, moving rocks, you name it: there is always something that can be done. Even if you live in an apartment building: is there something that can be cleaned up or needs some attention? Your landlord will be psyched, and you’ll teach your kids about the value of community service. Seriously. It’s a win-win.
No matter where you live, you can use some of these ideas to give your wife a break and kill two or three birds with one stone while being the supportive partner we all strive to be. Life is all about balance; you give some now, you’ll get some in return when you need it most, and the family unit moves forward stronger than ever. Good luck, bros!
