Hope for your financial life and beyond

Daddy Take the Wheel – Adventures With a 15-yr. Old Driver

Carrie Underwood once famously sang, “Jesus take the wheel – cause I can’t do this on my own.” Recently I’ve gained a new appreciation for her imagery because my 15-year old was issued her learner’s permit. Yes, I can’t believe it…she is learning how to drive. Wasn’t she just in diapers doing her best Fred Flintstone, foot-power imitation in her Little Tikes mobile?

little tikes 2She’s never been behind the wheel of a car before. We don’t live on a farm or have a big yard so she never grew up driving a tractor or lawn mower. The closest she has been to operating a motorized vehicle are go-carts at amusement parks. And of course, those are small and regulated for speed.

Needless to say we are having some fun adventures. I’ve acted like Jesus several times – reaching over to take the wheel to correct a mistake. I’ve had to save a few mailboxes in our subdivision from being clipped by the passenger side, rear view mirror. And there was that one wide turn in our school parking lot that had us headed straight for the second grade classroom. (Shhh…don’t tell the principal.) That was a forceful take the wheel correction.

But she’s learning and getting better each time out.

Funny thing is, I’m re-learning something also that I forget from time to time.

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Why I’m Quitting My Job To Be A Stay At Home Dad

stay at home dadYou read that right. It’s not a misprint or a trick to get attention. As of Friday, May 23rd 2014, I will no longer be formally employed. I’m becoming a stay at home dad.

After 17 years in education serving as a principal, teacher, coach and mentor, I’m quitting my job to be a stay at home dad.

Those are the most exciting words I’ve ever typed on this blog! I’m starting a new journey.

They are also the scariest words I’ve ever typed on this blog because I’m starting a new journey.

I’ve waited a long time to share this news and start talking about what has brought our family here. It hardly seems real even after formally declaring my intentions. Maybe my new life as a stay at home dad will me next week as I start to clear out my classroom. My guess is I won’t feel it’s full impact until sometime next fall, probably on the first day of the new school year.

The decision to be a stay at home dad appears to have come out of nowhere to those in my circle of influence. Obviously the students were surprised last week when I shared the news with them. I hadn’t hinted at this at all, even though I’ve known for some time this was going to be my final year. What appears to those outside to be a surprise, is actually the culmination of a multi-year prayer journey.

That’s right…I don’t make decisions quickly. Especially when it comes to leaving a place to which I’ve committed my entire adult working life.

I can’t unpack all there is to share about this move in one single post. So if you came here looking for a step-by-step tutorial on how to become a stay at home dad or the financial challenges associated with it, that’s coming later.

For now, I’d simply like to focus on “the why.”

Following Through On the Stay at Home Dad Desire

Life is a series of choices. Sometimes those choices collide and cause friction no matter which option is chosen. Regardless of the situation, we can never say we don’t have a choice. There are always options.

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Cheer Up: Your Worst Day Wasn’t As Bad As This Kid’s…

 

Some days are just simply brutal. You know the kind.

You wake up late because your alarm didn’t go off…and the car won’t start.

Hurried on the way to work, fighting crazy traffic…your mug leaks coffee onto your dress.

At work, you get chewed out by an angry client…even though you did nothing wrong. (They were just mad at the world and you were in the way.)

Because you were late to work, you have to stay late to make up the time…and are therefore late picking the kids up at daycare (thus paying an extra fee).

Tired and not wanting to cook dinner, you blow through the drive-thru…thus breaking your goal of not eating out (because you have really been working on that monthly food budget).

Finally, after all that and the kids are in bed the networks preempt your favorite TV show for the State of the Union address.

You go to bed praying that tomorrow will be better.

As bad and stressful and frustrating as that day may see, it pales in comparison to what happened with this kid…

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How We Are Coping With the Family Rat Race

Father and baby handFour times in my life I’ve been able to experience the truth of this Bible verse:

“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.” (Psalm 127:3)

Each time I was moved to the point of tears as that new life came into the world. To think I helped create a completely unique person was very humbling. More than that, it was overwhelming, knowing that a large part of who they would become depended upon my parenting skills.

Psalm 127:4 goes on to say that children are, “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior…” The thought about parenting here is clear…the warrior is me, the parent. Just like a warrior breaks the stillness of the air and sends his arrow toward the mark, so parents are to raise children so they fly straight and true to hit the target.

But what target do we want them to hit? And why? How will we get them there? Will I know if I’m succeeding?

Those type of questions often leave parents confused and prompt us to make some poor decisions.

I’m talking more about this today as I guest post for Cat Alford at Budget Blonde. I’m very excited for Cat who has just become a new mommy to twins. Visit her site now and read my article entitled:

“The Evolution of Parenting: Are We Pressing Our Kids Too Far?”

Image at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Next Post: Pain and Suffering Is No Excuse to Quit Moving Forward

Prior Post: Spring Break – Glorious Rite of Passage or Undisciplined Waste of Money