Rebuilding Rob

I’ve decided to skip the daily prompt today. I had a personal event happen yesterday that felt much more worth the digital ink.

This past weekend, I agreed to take Kid 2, even though it was his mom’s weekend. She had an event in California, so I stepped up. Originally, he was going to stay late Wednesday and Thursday with friends—a married couple—and I’d pick him up Friday. That plan didn’t last long. I ended up getting him late Wednesday night, which meant a 90-minute drive each way. Between the late travel and the “polar vortex” triggering snow days through Monday, I braced myself: I was bringing him to work with me on Tuesday.

The Parenting “Brace”

I cleared it with my principal in advance. She actually suggested I bring him in rather than taking a personal day. But as a parent, I was still anticipating a worst-case scenario. I worried he wouldn’t be comfortable, the chairs wouldn’t work, or he’d want to lounge around since he’s used to the comfort of home for his online schooling.

But he did awesome. He worked on his own online classes, took his breaks on schedule, and kept himself busy during the downtime. I could not be happier.

Walking in “Regular Parent” Shoes

It was a cool feeling on multiple levels. First, there was the logistics: making sure he got to bed on time, waking up early, fixing lunches, and ensuring he had warm enough clothes for the day.

As an early bird against my will—or what I’ve previously described as being a reluctant early bird—I usually get to school before anyone else. There’s something about getting a jumpstart on the world that I love, and it felt good to share that “rest of the world is still sleeping” energy with him. It gave me a much deeper appreciation for what “regular parents” go through every single day. It even made me appreciate X1’s experience with Kid 1 when he was in a traditional school.

In My Element

Kid 2 has seen almost every classroom I’ve taught in, but I was excited for him to actually see what I do. Because my students are exclusively online this year, I’m essentially a “glorified lab consultant.” I don’t do much traditional lecturing right now, but he still got to see me in my element, interacting with my students.

I’ll be honest: I wish Kid 1 could’ve experienced that with me at least once. Maybe he still will, but he’s older now, and the dynamic is different. Still, having Kid 2 there didn’t hamper my ability to do my job at all. It actually made me realize that if I ever got into a real pinch again, we’d be just fine.

The Charmed Life

As parents, we spend so much time preparing for every contingency and bracing for the worst—worrying the superintendent will walk in or the principal will tell us to pack it up. But more often than not, things turn out better than expected.

Even in the dark moments, I’ve found that things are rarely as bad as I feared. I guess I really do lead a charmed life in that manner.

As much as I loved having Kid 2 there, I have to admit I’m currently nursing a serious kid hangover. It’s that physical and mental fatigue after two weeks of straight parenting, but it’s more than just being tired. It’s the sudden, jarring silence in the house when they leave. I find myself leaving his things out for a day or two, just as he left them, just to feel like he’s still here. It’s a feeling I know many parents in my shoes understand all too well.

We spend so much energy bracing for the worst-case scenario that we often miss the ‘charmed’ moments right in front of us. When was the last time a stressful situation turned into an unexpected win for you?

Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like 👍, comment, and subscribe below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media and check out my recent posts!

• Even White People Get Ashy
• The Tricorder in My Pocket
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• Take Kid 2 to Work Day: An Unexpected Win
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The article “Take Kid 2 to Work Day: An Unexpected Win” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob.