PARK HILL resident, Robert Tyler has become a stay at home dad.

Robert has been publishing a diary regarding his experiences on his facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/diaryofastayathomedad

We are going to dip into the diary, now and again and see how things are going with Robert.

Week Twenty Five

THE chances of Ruby and Poppy getting to have another brother or sister is decreasing rapidly every day, last week I took a swift boot to the groinal region, this week promised to be no different. I was playing with Poppy and I thought it would be a good idea to fetch the boxing gloves and have a play fight. (there is only so much dolls and puzzles a man can take) Rule number one… never underestimate the strength of a four-year-old girl, Rule number two… never get into a fight with someone whose head height is level with your waistline as there is only going to be one outcome and it will be a very painful one.

So there I was teaching her how to throw a solid jab when there was a knock at the door and I let my attention slip for a brief moment, that’s when Pops threw her best punch yet straight at the unguarded region. I fell to the floor in slow motion just like a Fight from the ROCKY films, Poppy started to cry as I was obviously in great discomfort, I hesitantly said it’s not your fault darling its just an accident. I think I will just stick to dolls and puzzles from now on.

I had a complete nightmare with ruby one morning as we were running a little late out the door. I was speed walking with my eyes to the floor so I didn’t see that the other pupils were walking to school with their normal clothes on until I got right to the school gates. I then thought I can’t let her go in to school in her uniform, especially when its non uniform day that would be asking for your child to be bullied. (luckily enough this never happened to me) At my old school they would just send you down to lost property to see if anything fits, but for a couple of people lets just say they didn’t exactly rise to the top of the most cool in school chart

We turned around and walked home burst through the front door and Ruby got changed as if she was Clark Kent changing into Superman. We were back at school gates before you could say lost property.

Food glorious food, the thing most of us try to find a way to make our children eat, I have recently been experimenting with different ways of making dinner fun. a little while ago I made a pirate ship dinner which included boat shaped yorkshire pudding vegetables and chicken, but with a few green beans hanging off the side to look like rowers, a friend quite rightly pointed out it looked like a spider, but you get the idea.

The thing is just by making the food look different they both ate it all up as they thought it was a game. (please feel free to share your own dinner advice or experiences in the comments below)

One night after dinner I decided to play a little game with the desert, I got some pieces of white chocolate gave the girls each two pieces, then said to eat the first piece you need to eat with your hands behind you back, poppy tried this and failed on the first attempt and then just shoved it in as quick as she could, with the second piece I said whoever eats it last wins. Both girls stared at each other for a minute like two cowboys in a standoff just waiting for the other one to draw first. Poppy just couldn’t contain herself anymore and shoved in the last bit in..

So I’m still edging closer to thirty and the good news is I haven’t found another grey hair yet, but I was thinking that although I haven’t done some of the things I wished, like travel around the globe or visited Alaska or climbed up the famous ROCKY steps in Philadelphia while wearing a grey tracksuit (which I’ve wanted to do since I was nine years old)

what I do have is two little girls who I love dearly, I look at them sometimes and it scares the life out of me because I can see myself in them, it only seems like yesterday when I was the same age. I have a beautiful wife who knows me inside and out and decides to still be beside me when I wake up every morning (except on the very odd occasion when I would be asked to sleep on the sofa through no fault of my own) that’s a lot to be very thankful for.

Please remember if you like the diary please share so that others can read them too.

Until next week…..