My wife is now in her 8th week of pregnancy and in an attempt to be a contributing member of this partnership we’ve embarked on, I’ve started reading anything and everything having to do with pregnancy and childbirth. But I’m a slow reader so it isn’t actually that much yet. But I have weeks and weeks before the baby comes, right? Right.
So my first thoughts as I’m reading this material is that there really isn’t much for the male counterparts. In most books there may be a chapter or short snippets of advice for the expecting father. And most of this makes me feel like I’m 2. Boy I love being talked down to in real life so I can’t tell you how much I appreciate reading a book in which I’m trying to get information and feeling the same way. No really…
“Vacuum the house without being asked.” Or “offer to go to the grocery store” seem pretty insulting when I already do those things. This leads me to conclude that either the majority of men who become expectant fathers really are sexist, clueless pigs or the authors of these books believe men are utterly incapable when it comes to helping their partners grow and bring life into this world. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. However, being human makes it hard to keep an objective focus somewhere in the middle. Just like politics.
So for those of us men who aren’t assess already, what information is there for us? What do we need to be able to contribute to the health of our partners, our relationship with our partners and the growing life in their belly?
Well, for starters I would have to encourage us to say “Thank you” to our partner as much as humanly possible. “Thank you” for agreeing to have this child with me. “Thank you” for carrying it for 9 months. “Thank you” for the 12 weeks of nausea you will have to experience. “Thank you” for going through the changes (both physical and emotional) required in order bear this child. “Thank you” for umpteen million things which I don’t even have a clue about, yet.
We are all human and we really appreciate gratitude. So when you see your partner getting ready for work one minute and lying down on the couch the next minute looking flushed. Say “Thank You”……
And don’t be an ass.
You wrote, "There really isn't much for us male counterparts." Rob, I would like to suggest that there may be more than one writer in the Vaughn family. I have just read all of your postings, and I think this would make a fabulous book. I cannot imagine why no one else has posted. This is great, pithy, funny material. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteThank Laurie. There aren't many responses because I started this blog on the DL. I was applying for another job at the same time and was trying not to let the folks know about it. I'm also new to this whole blog thing and I had it set up so that you couldn't leave a comment without registering. I obviously got that changed.
ReplyDeleteThanks again. It has been fun. I'm obviously slowing down a bit. And will probably slow down more once the school year starts.
Did you get the job?
ReplyDelete