What does that mean? Blend in? Do I want to vanish in a crowd? Well, sort of.
You see, one of the things I have noticed since becoming a temporary stay at home dad, is the looks I get when I am out walking the baby in the SUV of a stroller.
If there were thought bubbles over people’s heads, I would probably read things like this:
- Oh look at that, he must be unemployed.
- Where is the mom I wonder?
- Blogger?
- Does he know it is really sunny out? I hope that baby has sunscreen on.
- I wonder if I should help him?
- Is that Conan O’Brien (okay I stretched it there).
Now, this might seem a little over the top but you don’t see the faces. I also want to mention that these looks are not that common but I would say I get at least one of them per day depending on where I walk.
I would imagine it just seems unnatural for people to see a dad pushing a stroller to a park on a Tuesday morning in May. I also have these same thought bubbles any time I go to a busy store on a weekday morning and it is packed. I always think to myself, “what do these people do?”
Thankfully now that school is out for the most part, I can blend in much easier. Now I am just a teacher who is off for the summer taking care of the baby.
During the summer months, there are so many other reasons that make sense for a guy pushing a stroller around on his own that the looks and thought bubbles stop.
Have any other dads felt this when they are out with the kids?
Or maybe I am way off base and they are just staring because I am 6’5 and it looks amusing to them? Who knows.
Regardless, it is fun playing the role of a teacher off for the summer.
Well said. I get the look when I walk around the block alone with the baby strapped to my chest. Like, “where is his wife? Did he steal that baby?”