Solo-dadding for 3 days while wife is gone, and just took it from a 0/10 night to a 10/10 morning

[chriscb]

So I’m on day 2 of taking care of our two boys (2 year old and 5 month old) while my wife is out of town for work.

Day 1 went pretty smooth, day 2 started out well too…and then nighttime hit and these gremlins of ours decided to join forces to make sure I didn’t have a chance at going to sleep. From 8pm through about 5am, I was playing whack-a-mole with the toddler begging for milk and then waking the baby up with his crying and vice versa.

Our 5 month old finally tried to put the nail in the coffin at 5:30am, and instead of balling up and crying along side of him, my dad brain said “fuck it, fire up the smoker and cook some pork.”

So I did — I took the little dude with me downstairs, put him in his baby bjorn on the back deck (benefits of the warm streak we’re having) and let him observe his father push away a mental breakdown and replace it with rich tones of hickory and oak smokey goodness.

Once the smoker got to a nice 250 degrees, I let him watch me rub my meat (heheh) to perfection, and put the 9 pound pork shoulder on right at 6:15am.

Now they’re at daycare, and I’m taking PTO today so I can write a long-winded story to you guys about the importance of keeping a large slab of meat on hand just in case things aren’t going well the next time you’re on solo duty.

I’ll post an update in about 8 more hours to let you know how my Eastern North Carolina style bbq turns out.

Edit/Update: I enjoyed reading everyone’s comments! I’m taking it off for the wrap now. Ngl, it’s looking good

https://imgur.com/a/amI53NG

 

[kristyjo413]

@chriscb This made my day.

I'm taking notes, my boys are 2yo and 1mo, I'm bound to find myself in this situation all too soon.

 

[adreno69]

@kristyjo413 Teach the older one ways to "Take care" of the younger one.

"Help your brother with his pacifier," or "Can you help find your brother's shoes?" Stuff like that.

None of it will make a massive difference on your workload, but the 5 minutes of both being distracted can be a life saver!

 

[perfectionist29521]

@adreno69 I think kids like to have something to do. If my little one is having a hard time, I just ask her to take a toy to her mom or bring that shovel over to the garden. Works 8/10 times.

 

[mercifulfirebrand]

@kristyjo413 More importantly, once bedtime hits, the kitchen is closed, kiddo. No milk, no snacks, I'll see you at breakfast

It'll be painful for a night or two, but you'll make that time back in no time and not have this problem.

 

[cgpb]

@mercifulfirebrand Absolutely this. Once their teeth get brushed, no more food is coming out.

 

[gwencallon]

@kristyjo413 Lol my second is due in a month, I'm scared.

 

[jhumby]

@gwencallon You'll be alright homie.

Our two girls are best friends and love playing together.

It's tough for awhile but it gets easier.

 

[katrina2017]

@chriscb I love Dad brain.

"Should I have an absolute meltdown?

No. No time for tears, now is time for meat"

 

[notfooled]

@katrina2017 When we were young we used alcohol to celebrate, to grieve, to relax, and to socialize. once we got to a point in life where we had too many other people relying on us for being drunk to be practical various grilled meats took alcohol's place.

That or we can't handle the hangovers anymore.

 

[saboneal]

@notfooled I enjoy a drink now and again, but alcohol is very obviously a poison to our brains and bodies. It doesn't take a genius to understand that after feeling the effects of drinking the next morning. You're cognitively slow, slept poorly, poor recall, low energy, dehydrated, with a headache. A fun social lubricant and great for celebrations here and there, but not a reliable coping mechanism for daily stress regulation. Better to find more adaptive coping mechanisms for stress, so you don't feel like shit all the time.

 

[x9310]

@notfooled

can't handle the hangovers anymore.

Or we used to be able to sleep till noon after a night of drinking but now we have screaming children to tend to at 6am.

My first hangover with a grumpy baby at the ass crack of dawn was all I needed to cut way back on alcohol.

I mean still drink, but it's like 1 beer or glass of whisky after bedtime.

 

[gyoung2]

@notfooled

once we got to a point in life where we had too many other people relying on us for being drunk to be practical various grilled meats took alcohol's place.

idk, there's something about that 3:00AM beer when you're waiting out the stall...

kidding. Alcohol is pain now.

I told my wife this past weekend that "future us" is no longer pissed off at "present us" for ruining their days.

 

[khodan]

@notfooled No, when you in high stress burnout mode and need to maximize your productive output, you need to avoid alcohol at all costs no matter how old you are.

 

[adiel]

@khodan I will say that the new no/low alcohol beers like the Athletic Brewing IPAs are my absolute favorite. They totally scratch the “I want to have a beer” itch with none of downsides.

 

[tmn516]

@adiel

I will say that the new no/low alcohol beers like the Athletic Brewing IPAs are my absolute favorite. They totally scratch the “I want to have a beer” itch with none of downsides.

I love how a lot of craft places are getting into doing light beers with maybe 3% ABV.

 

[khodan]

@adiel For me it's sparkling water. For some reason the bubbles are enough to do it for me.

 

[dfaithfulservant]

@katrina2017 Honestly, it's not much of a stretch to see the evolutionary advantage here. "Little bastard won't sleep... let's roast some of that mammoth."