"Murphy was an optimist!"
Nothing makes you feel shittier December 10, 2013 10:06 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Amy, Daily Life, Family, Of Being DadNothing makes me feel worse than losing my temper with my family. Well, except maybe the flippant remarks made by me during the bout of anger. No one deserves to be yelled at. It solves nothing and tears are painful. Afterall, it’s only fucking grades. And am I really mad at the child? Or at my own parental shortcomings? Something tells me it is the latter so perhaps I really should be yelling at myself. Oh, internally I’m already there.
add a commentParenting Means December 7, 2013 12:12 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Family, Of Being DadBeing a parent means on Saturday morning, before you are dressed, your wallet is already $60 lighter.
add a commentThings you don’t want to overhear as a parent December 4, 2013 7:10 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Family, From the mouths of babes, Of Being Dad"Go. Go. GO! Is it falling out already?"
add a commentMore upset than I expected November 22, 2013 4:00 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Family, Of Being Dad, Pets, Two PawsWe all have our time. It comes. It goes. I’m pragmatic. I’m stoic. So I am surprised at how upsetting today has been to me. I am also a romantic. A philosopher. The physical manifestation is just that…something expected and done. The problem is the metaphorical interpretation of today’s event reaches too deeply into my being. I require downtime. And distraction. But responsibilities have to be dwelt with first.
add a commentFrom the mouths of babes November 13, 2013 8:25 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Amy, Daily Life, Family, From the mouths of babes, Of Being DadMe: "Amy, I’m going to kill you."
Amy, 11 years old, jumping off the glass top stove to the kitchen floor: "Sorry Daddy."
Me: "Do you see that step ladder beside the fridge?"
Amy: "Yes."
Me: "Use it! What is the stove top made of?"
Amy: "Glass."
Me: "I love you Amy!"
Amy: "I love you too Daddy."
Me: "I’ll put that on your tombstone."
Either genius or stupid November 3, 2013 9:34 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Buttercup, Daily Life, Family, Of Being Dad, Pets, WestleyDepending on your perspective, this is either a genius or not very brilliant solution to a cat problem. The kittens have taken to chewing electrical cords. At $80 a cord, Apple is loving our kittens. So, I’ve decided to train them away from cords…by squirting them with water when I see them chewing a cord. I think it is a spark of genius! One way or another, this problem will end.
add a commentParenting with a squirt gun November 3, 2013 9:29 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Family, Of Being DadI don’t hit my children but I do yell far too much. I’ve decided to quit yelling. Instead I’m going to carry a squirt bottle with me everywhere I go. If my children appear damp, don’t jump to concluding they got caught in a squall, but know their behavior has been corrected.
add a commentFrom the mouths of babes October 26, 2013 4:33 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Family, From the mouths of babes, Of Being Dad, TommyMy oldest son: "Can I test the spray paint here?"
Me: "You are standing too close to the house and our grill and other stuff that the wind could carry the overspray of the paint onto and cause your death. And I really don’t want to go to jail for the rest of my life."
Failing at life October 9, 2013 5:33 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Family, Of Being DadSince leaving the basement in 2010 to work in Cubeville, I believe my biggest failing in life has been to not find my "Cheers" in which to get schnookered for the transition from work to home and vice versa.
add a commentAwkward parent moment September 10, 2013 7:42 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Evan, Family, From the mouths of babes, Of Being DadTonight’s awkward moment of reading aloud to your 8 year old brought to by Neil Gaimen in Stardust
Skipping to the next safe paragraph, I continue reading to my children.
add a commentOf Being Dad September 1, 2013 4:59 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Family, Of Being DadI’d give the world to be a stay at home dad the next 3 years.
add a commentSaturday Dad August 31, 2013 11:46 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Of Being DadIt’s the first day of a long weekend. Monday is a holiday. I’m trying to maintain my cool despite the stress I am under to complete client projects and personal projects. I feel hamstrung by some of the service people in my life who have failed to come through. A surveyor who hasn’t come out to mark my property lines. An hvac person who hasn’t found the time to consult with me. My attorney is being slow to answer some questions. My electrician … well… my electrician is waiting on me to commit to the project.
As a father, it is difficult to remember that despite giving your children the same instruction 29999 times that they don’t truly remember the instructions until you’ve given it to them 30000 times. But this is how they learning. Today I watched my son start to use the weed eater without eye protection. Apparently he doesn’t remember his grandfather’s trip to the emergency room.
add a commentOf Being Dad August 26, 2013 8:33 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Amy, Daily Life, Evan, Family, Of Being DadI just read to my youngest children for an hour. I am hoarse and happy.
add a commentSaturday August 24, 2013 12:09 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Family, House, Of Being DadI posed a question on Facebook today:
Oh my. Program? Cut the grass? Clean the house? Read a book? Run some new pipe? Build a wall? Upgrade the electrical wiring to 12-2? Install a panic button? Wash the wife’s car? Marinate some steaks? Repair the garage door? Clean the driveway? Finish hole 2 of the minigolf? Built a fort for Evan? Paint? Install flooring in the basement?
Thus far, my day has been:
- Wake at 5:30 to drive son to work.
- Wake at 6:30 to drive son to scouting event.
- 7-8am Help scouts pack van to Shining Rock
- 8-9am Visit with a friend
- 9-noon Internet. Some client work. Putz. Pick son up from work. Prepare garage for work on the garage door. And marinate steaks!
- Noon – 12:40pm Repair garage door.
- 2-4 errands with wife including Agrifeed for rats, pig ears, and cat toys, Target, and Sears.
Now to see about a garage door repair.
Update: 12:40pm Garage door repair complete.
To My Children August 23, 2013 2:28 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Deep Thoughts, Family, Of Being Dad, PhilosophyDon’t discount the wisdom of those who came before you.
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