Every day of my life
Now, the days are over. The days where my time is scheduled only for me. I sometimes wish to have those days back. Looking back to the days when I do stuff of my own accord, not minding whose ox is gored. Gone are those days. I could even return home late at night after having some booze with my friends after work, or go watch a premier league or champions league match, and engage in an argument to keep body and soul together. Gone are those days. Most of these arguments were around politics, the economy, and public officeholders, generally.
After I settled down to family life some ten years ago, the responsibilities that come with that new life of marriage are an entirely different world of its own. My early marriage life was without stress. My wife does most of the chores. I only help out during weekends. So, during the weekdays, I would just be in bed until wake-up time. I'd return to sleeping after our family prayers which lasted about an hour in the morning.
She would prepare breakfast and lunch and get it packed in a lunchbox for me. I can tell that she is such a sweetheart, caring for those needs I would have had a headache trying to fix.
Things Have Changed
Things are not the same now. After we had our first child, more responsibility was doled to me. During the period when our baby was still very young, I assumed the place of a mother and father to my wife and child. I'd do most of the chores, happily.
Now, we have two children. We go to school together, my children and I. As I write this, they are sitting just next to me on the school bus. They are both in primary school. I work in the same school but in the college section. This is how my fatherhood journey begins and my routine is spelled out.
My Daily Routine
My wife and I have agreed to some terms. I know that literally, it may seem difficult for men like me to adjust to it but the I take these roles to heart while following this thought: what is a sauce to the gander is sauce for the goose is what I am applying to make it easy, to keep aside the ego of the man that I am.
The beep of the morning and the first alarm wakes us up by 4:30 a.m. from Monday to Friday. We go to pray for thirty minutes. Then, I wake the kids up by 5:00 am to ease themselves while I clean our shoes. They wear black shoes to school. I would have them polished and mine too.
I would bathe them after they have brushed their teeth. My kids are old enough to get themselves dressed up.
Between 5:45 am and 6:00 am, we must have finished dressing up. Every of these routines are done with prompts from our set alarm.
Our lunch box is packed for both breakfast and lunch. We don't eat our breakfast at home because we must get on the school bus by 6:10 am. So, our breakfast is taken in my office. You can see that my task as a father is a tedious one.
On Tuesday and Thursday of every week, from school, we would move straight to the church for the evening service. The services are just for one hour, 5:00-6:00 pm. I see it a duty to know our maker and be diligent to our spiritual life by attending these programmes. If it has to be a vigil, we don't miss it and we do all that with our children.
In the afternoon of Monday, Wednesday and Friday, my wards would go home in the school bus while I stayed back to take a session or two with adult students who are preparing to take the university entrance examination.
Our Saturdays are for laundry and cleaning up the entire house. She would be washing while I help out in rinsing and spreading the washed clothes on the line. Usually, we would be done in an hour or two. I think this method has helped us in managing the stress that one person would have had to live with.
Whereas, on Sunday, it's a different ball game. We ensure not to go late for church services. We know that if we could go to our casual work punctually, the work of God, our maker deserves more. As ministers and workers in the church, we ensure that we satisfy our urge to be faithful and diligent, it is the fruit of being inclined to the things of the spirit.
Sometimes, I look back and it looks like my lifestyle is boring but that is not the picture. Family life is enjoyable and investing in it is the best asset any man can have. Today, I live a triangular live, timed and framed around fun and living for good health and family life.