Reading Dave Delaney’s post about Tip for Expecting Daddies got me thinking about what got me through the first couple of months.  It is a great tip.  My tip is for fathers whose child is already born.  Some might not agree with it but it worked for me.

When my daughter, Danni, was born my wife and I agreed that she would stay home and I would work.  I worked two jobs to keep our family afloat.  I worked first job from 8a-5p, Monday through Friday.  I waited tabled from 6p-11p, Monday through Friday, and weekends.  As much as I was gone was the amount of time that my wife spent with our daughter.

Danni was/is an energizer bunny.  That meant when I got home from waiting tables she was up.  This worked out great for me because I actually got to see my daughter.  It actually meant that she had been up since 7a and had maybe taken a nap.  The problem with this was my wife had reached her ropes’ end (rightfully so) by the time I had got home.  My wife wanted an hour or two away from Danni.  So I had a brilliant idea.

I would take Danni out of the apartment.  I would go for a drive and take her somewhere.  I would load Danni up in her car seat.  She would scream the whole time.  I would start the car and before I got out of the apartment complex, she was knocked out.  I would drive around for ten minutes and come back.  As soon as turned off the car, Danni woke right back up.  I needed a new plan.

I decided to drive around for a little longer.  Driving around at midnight is not fun.  So I decided a new tactic.  I would drive around until she was asleep and then drive around for 15 more minutes.  Driving around at midnight is boring.  I needed something to occupy me and keep me awake.

I know a lot of people hate Wal-Mart for a lot of different reasons.  I am going on record that Wal-Mart saved my sanity and my marriage.  I would drive to Wal-Mart, park by the shopping carts in the back, and unload Danni in the car seat very carefully.

I would walk slowly and steady to the front door.  Be sure to remember to lift the front and back wheels as you go over the tracks of the automatic doors.  I would put up her canopy of the car seat to block the bright lights and shopping I would go.

I did this for a couple of months.  I became a Guitar Hero God!  The staff knew me by name.  I listened to all the music I could ever want.  I read all the new magazines and new books.  Every night I would spend a hour or two in Wal-Mart.  Danni slept, my wife got some mommy-time, and I got me-time.

I recommend this to any new daddy.  I finally stopped going to Wal-Mart because Danni stopped sleeping.  She was awake and wanted to play when I got home.

What would you have done different? Any suggestions?

Photo Credits – Wal-Mart: Dystopos – Flickr.com, Guitar Hero: Pinachina– Flickr.com