Prologue:
I’d like to introduce myself; Tyson. Hi nice to meet you. I’m a hard working man for a up and coming SaaS company called Workday. More relevant to this however is my wife, Xi (She) who is a hard working woman for a smaller home living good company called RST Brands.
She is the Supply Chain Manager/Director for this company and, because she is fluent in Chinese, must make regular trips to China. She does this to help negotiate new contracts with manufacturers and ensure quality control standards are met. The events that follow occurred during one of these trips.
Day 1:
7:00 – No change around the house outside of mom bringing extra big bags to work.
8:30 – It’s time to drop the boys off at school. We’ve been talking about the trip all morning and the 3 year old understands one simple fact; someone is going on with airplanes and he likes airplanes.
8:31 – I finally get a good understanding as to how strong a 3 year old is when they eat all their food. At one point the teacher got a pry bar to remove him from around my neck, but regretfully a plastic tool doesn’t hold up well in this kind of struggle. “So how do you solve a problem like Maria?” Simple, ship em out.
8:40 – The kindergarten class and big brother located there in was happy to help the little guy calm down. Who knew creative solutions and community help would work?
12:00 – A little secret for all you working dads. Go to the gym at lunch. generally your employer encourages this behavior and will grant you an bit of an extended lunch. On top of that, you get a refresh in the middle of the day and avoid going out to eat every day.
3:45 – Call from the elementary school reveals that older brother was under the impression that we would be picking him up and the whole family would be going to the airport. So cute, kinda sad. You know what this calls for?
5:00 – Snacks! After getting little brother from the preschool area we decide that we could use some special snacks for the final leg of the journey home.
The list…
Pringles – can for each kid
Capri Sun
Oatmeal – like I said, the 3 year old eats
Wasatch Sampler pack – k this one’s for me
5:15 – Time to play our music louder than mom wants us to while eating dinner; pulled BBQ beef and broccoli. The music will continue throughout the night.
Playlist…
Penywise – Dad pick
Guttermouth – Dad pick
Gorillaz – Oldest pick
Deltron 3030 – Dad pick
Wax Tailor – Youngest pick
Imagine Dragons – Youngest pick
6:00 – It’s time to play with each other. By Thor’s hammer we will not be having TV streaming all week. “Play with each other. You’re boys that’s what you’re supposed to do”
6:15 – Little brother “Daaaaaad I hurt my head!” Dad says “Is there blood or a bump?” Older brother says “nope.” Dad says “Okay keep playing, just take it from 11 to 10.” Dad laughs and kids don’t know why
6:30 – Somehow the 3 year old lost his pants. They are no where to be found in the house. Personal note, revert back to my favorite bachelor game “where’s the smell?”
7:00 – Time to calm down and do something a little more creative. big brother has a Lego stash that would enable him to build his own Lego Movie, but for some reason wants more….
One of the first books I read to my oldest was “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Why? Simple, I needed references that a child could relate to. In this circumstance Veruca Salt worked just fine.
7:30 – “Boys why are you literally standing in the fridge?” Boys, “Dad, I know we said that we weren’t hungry anymore, but can we have a hot dog?”
7:40 – Eat hot dogs… CRAP! I begin to realize that my perfect week goal may not end up perfect after all, but hey, the kitchen is clean as a whistle.
Homework at the new desk!
8:00 – Alright it’s time for homework and book time.
All in all day 1 was eventful, but manageable. The boys went to bed a little late, but that’s to be expected because I usually keep them up a little past 8:) to play with them. The hardest part about being a working parent is that you don’t get to play with your kids nearly as much as you would like.
Tomorrow is a new day. This time; no time keeping.
It’s been a long day
Family Adventure Pros 