Friday, February 19, 2010

Dad Does What?


As a child I had a vague idea of what my father did for a living. He worked in the John Hancock building, he had seats at the White Sox games, and sometimes he took us to the circus to sit in "work" seats. I remember him pointing to the tarp used to cover the field during a rain delay at a Sox game and explaining that the phrase, "Near North covers the infield" was his work. Somehow, I had learned it was insurance.

But, knowing these things lent no real concept to what it was he did all day. As a 5th grader struggling through long division, I sat in his office, read his door plaque and it hit me. I looked to my dad and asked, "Since you're the division manager, can you help me with my math?" Yes, I was clueless as to why he broke into gales of laughter...

That brings me to the present. Kids today tend to have a better idea of what it is their parents do all day. Just the other day Youngest was telling me, "boys want to grow-up and do a job like Dad's."

"Really?" I inquired, "Why, what does Dad do at work?"
Youngest: "He goes into his office at work. The ladies all work, but he stays in his office and sometimes he goes out and talks to them."
Me: "Oh yeah? And what does he do in his office?"
Youngest: "He has a whole bunch of paper in there. Sometimes he writes on it."
Me: "So writing on paper is his job?"
Youngest: "Well, he doesn't work with the ladies and he has a whole bunch of paper. Oh and he sits at his desk too. There's a computer there, right in front of him. So, I guess he does the computer too."

There you have it, management summed up in a neat little kindergarten package.

Now, it's Fatherhood Friday, so click this link and read some great blogs by some great people!

8 comments:

  1. My daughter always knows where I work but I am not sure she knows what I do, heck I barely do

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  2. That's funny. I'm pretty sure if you ask my oldest you will get a similar response. She comes to work with me on snow days, breaks and/or holidays. Being a sys admin, she thinks all I do is type and click. And I think she might be right!

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  3. SIGH, being a Stay-At-Home Dad, I can only wish for the day when our child will realize what it is I do all day. LOL...for now, "daddy plays with me" still warms my heart!

    Happy FF Friday!

    Cheers!

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  4. I took our boys to story time yesterday. I'm a stay at home dad and there were some other moms there with their kids. My 3 year old asked if they were stay at home moms and I said I think they are, he said "That's funny daddy, stay at home mom."

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  5. haha the youngest got that one pegged, didn't he? lol cos i often tell my hubs, who runs a major retail grocery store, that that's what i think he does all day. and guess what? he does go talk to the ladies (and the guys, too) lol

    my girls seem to know exactly what i do...i'm a sahm. one time, a few yrs ago, my oldest daughter said to me, 'mom, i'm just going to marry a man and have him take care of me like you do.' i was livid and i set her straight that she is to NEVER be totally dependent on a man & that's why she needs to make sure she does well in school, goes to college, and get a job where she can get or do what she wants. my youngest already has her mind set on being an artist, singer, and probably a vet. lmao

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  6. This is awesome and so very true. Heck, I really don't even know what Mr. Weasel does!

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  7. Love the division manager story. I sit at my desk too, and I am thankful for my friend the computer every day.

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  8. i horrified my mother today because i had to use a calculator to multiply 60 x 7 "i drilled you in those over and over" she gasped. i explained that if needed i could crank up the multiplication engine and after warming it up for a few min. i would be able to perform multiplication tables ably. (heck i hadn't even had my coffee yet!) i don't think i convinced her. she's mortified with her failure as a mother :)

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