Any Unexpected Stay-at-Home Dads Out There? (Chicago: live in, babysitting, move to)

[cdc3217]

Being a stay at home parent with one toddler can be a lonely business. When I was home with my first baby we didn't have much of a schedule and we were the second act of Mr. Mom (although I'm a Ms. mom.) After my 2ndcame along I got more more organized. Get a routine, where you go do stuff in the morning, whether its the library (there's toddler storytimes I bet) or grocery shopping, or the park, or the farmers market, or gymboree. Generally, once you factor that in with cooking and cleaning and naptime it sets your day up for you a little more.

Check out ChicagoParent.com - The top resource for parents and kids in the Chicago area if you haven't already. There's lots going on locally and regionally, and if you have the time, why not mix it up and head out of the neighborhood or into the burbs on occasion to check out some of the programming?

[Lookout Kid]

I think the Northside Parent's Network has a stay-at-home dad group that gets together occasionally... I guess I could pay the fee to join NPN again and see what that is like. But otherwise, all of my friends with kids have both parents working. As a guy who mostly grew up with a mother at home, I am finding the situation to be very different 30 years later. I'm not going to join a brigdge group with the neighbors for instance, since none of them are home during the day. I also live in a very dense area surrounded by high-rises, so it's not one of Chicago's more neighborly kid-friendly streets.

[Costa Rica Chica]

Welcome to single parenthood (although technically you aren't single)! Granted, I work ft and my son is at daycare all day, but from the second I get home and all weekend long - I have no one to help share responsibilities. It's draining and sometimes you crave adult conversation, I totally get it. You should check out meetup.com and see if there's a sahd group. At least you could meet with other guys and their kids and while the kiddies are playing, you guys can talk man stuff. (I belong to a single parent group and it has been wonderful.)

As they say, mother of a boy - from son up to son down!

[surlycue]

Welcome to my life.

Chicago History Museum is free Mondays. Nature Museum is free Thursdays and they do a story time at 11. Conservatory is free always. The various libraries do free story times. I know your Uptown branch just west of Broadway does one but I'm not sure the day. Bucktown and LP libraries do their storytimes on Thursdays. When the weather sucks I go thrifting with the kid and let her play with all the toys there and sometimes take some home for under a buck.

If you don't have any short term intentions of returning to work sign up for some classes with the park distict for cheap. There is no shortage of things to keep you and the little one busy during the day.

[linicx]

Kids are curious at this age. And they are a sponge. It's time for computer games and maybe even preschool. I think the child must be 5 before Sept 10. 2009 to attend kindergarden. Your child should know name, address, mom and dad's first names, can button, can count 1- 10, can tie shoes, can zip, and knows ABCs. Printing name and numbers is good too.

The places I like to shop for my great-grandson is any store. that focuses on education rather than toys, as the employees can help. I found it in a Mail Box It! store as well as teachers supply stores in MO and IL.

What about the Lincoln Park Zoo, Navy Pier, the aquarium, and Buckingham Fountain? When is the last time you two had a picnic? Wanna have some fun? Let her plan the picnic. When is the last time you two took a ride in the country or explored the stores in a different town? Of course there are swimming, dance and gymnastic classes, too.

Dad, girls are a challenge. Be creative. Cook and clean together. Make it fun and do not expect adult results. Fold towels and washcloths and count while you do it. Kids learn rhymes like Mary Had a Little Lamb and kids songs like Mares Eat Oats. And maybe if you are lucky you can find the old story "The Owl and The Pu**y Cat". She is probably old enough for the video Jungle Story with Mowgli, too..

Five year old kids are a ton of fun when you expand your horizon past sand lots and think like kids do. And if you listen carefully, you will be surprised at what she knows. I raised two girls - and I didn't have near the tools you can work with 45 years ago.

I am sure you have resources in Chicago I never dreamed of when my girls were young.

Have fun, laugh a lot and enjoy her. She will be a teenager in the blink of an eye. IF you can find it, look for a recording by Mike? that was a popular TV host a few years ago. He recorded "The men in my little girl's life." There is a lot of truth in it. They grow too old too fast, dad. .

[Lookout Kid]

Thanks for the suggestions! My daughter is a one-year-old who has just recently started the tantrum faze, so she's not into a lot of planned activitites yet. But I do like to keep her senses stimulated in different environments. She has enjoyed the zoo for brief visits, and only freaks out occasionally at the Art Institute.

[Costa Rica Chica]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

She has enjoyed the zoo for brief visits, and only freaks out occasionally at the Art Institute.

Lol. The tantrums just get louder the older they get.

[outlaw79]

Im stay at homr dad to hey Mr Mom

[coldwine]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I've been home with my toddler daughter for a couple of months because of a layoff, and I'm starting to lose my mind with the lack of adult interaction during the day. Since the job market for architects doesn't look like it will improve for several months at best, I'm settling in to this stay-at-home dad lifestyle while my wife earns the big bucks. Anyone else in this situation? How do you make your days interesting when you only have a few hours to get out before "nap time"?

My daughter is young enough to still need constant supervision, and that greatly limits what I can do. I'm so sick of the various playlots around my house that I see kiddie swings in my sleep. I actually saw a drunk homeless guy get in a physical fight with two cops a few days ago a few feet away, and I just kept pushing my daughter on the swing while sipping my coffee. I find myself whistling the Elmo's World theme in public. I only shave every four or five days, and have switched to an all-cotton wardrobe that can survive constant kneeling on hardwood floor. I saw the old Michael Keaton movie Mr. Mom, and actually thought it was funny this time. Whats happening to me?!?

If you had followed my advice and hooked up with Jdiddy, this would never have happened.

Just sayin'.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by coldwine

If you had followed my advice and hooked up with Jdiddy, this would never have happened.

Just sayin'.

Vomit.