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Home Alone Dad
Rarely do I agree with David Frum, of the National Review, but his Saturday column had me nodding in agreement.
Frum, in this column, examines what goes on in countless homes when the family, minus dad, goes on a vacation, if only for a few days. While some dads, take this opportunity to veer off into uncharted territory, the vast majority of us wallow deeper into the rut we likely already enjoy. In his case, it’s more time at the gym and night after night of rotisserie chicken. When my family goes away, it’s pizza and beer for dinner and a movie, or two, every day. The pizza is always the same, as is the popcorn, though, luckily, I do change up the movie for a little variety. As Frum notes,
You know the saying: “Moderation in all things, including moderation”? My variant: “Variety is the spice of life — and of the most flavorful of those varieties is repetition.”
Frum enjoys being able to be himself at least for a few days, which involves listening to audio books non-stop without being ridiculed by his teenage son.
It’s pointless to be ashamed of the natural man tendency toward habit and routine. We don’t need to move the couch around the living room every six months, or renovate the kitchen. Almost all things are better left alone and in their place. Consistency just gives us more time to do the things we like to do, which usually doesn’t involve long afternoons in furniture showrooms. You can’t say women are more aggressive or pushy; they just often push hard on the stuff they want, much of which might seem irrational to us.
Frum ends his observations with this gem:
A rewrite of a slogan often seen on kids’ sweatshirts aptly sums up the relationship between the male animal and his spouse: She’s not bossy. She just has better ideas.
