How to Keep Your Sanity with an infant in the house

Remember the days before the baby came? Seems like a long time ago, doesn't it?

Unwittingly, since then you've become a househusband.

1950s television presented the world with the traditional housewife, keeping house while the husband worked. Now, that's you. Your wife brings home the bacon while you keep the house. Seems kind of demoralizing at times. We men were raised with the ideals that the Man Works to Support His Family and the woman is the wife and mother of her children.

Not any longer.

It is up to us to raise our kids while our wives work, at least as long as we can afford to do so. My unemployment won't last forever, and God willing someday I'll find a new job. When the time comes, I must find some sort of child care for the baby. I won't like it, baby won't like it, but it's the reality.

Until then, though, I'm the primary caregiver to a fussy little baby that can only communicate through noise.

Which brings me to my original point. How do we men keep our sanity while caring for our little baby?

The main thing I keep in mind is not to forget who I am and what I like to do. I have hobbies that I've enjoyed doing for the past twelve or so years. Yes, the baby requires feeding diapering, interaction, and love. And I give her all those things, and--this will sound crazy--I enjoy doing those things. Well, the diaper changes get monotonous. If I could toilet-train her now, I certainly would, but she can't even sit up yet.

Thankfully, the baby takes naps twice a day. During these periods I am free to do my own thing. However, as househusband I must perform the traditional house chores: laundry, dishes, vacuuming, etc. But I have hobbies: writing and working on my old car are at the top of my list. Currently I'm between books and have taken a break from writing at this time, which is why I started this blog.

The point I'm trying to make is that though you are a new father taking care of a baby, you can't lose sight of who you are. Keep doing what you enjoy when you can: you absolutely have to take a break from the endless child care sometimes. Caring for an infant is a 24 hour a day responsibility, but when your wife comes home, she's going to want to spend time with the baby herself, and that's one of the times you can relax with a beer and be by yourself for a little while. Sure, you will do the family thing, but try to relax once in a while and be yourself, whether it's during one of baby's naps or when she's happily swinging in her infant swing.

Keep up with your hobbies. Or read. Or write. Or fix things. Play your guitar or piano. It's easy to let all these things slide while caring for your infant, but in order to keep your sanity, you must remember to be yourself, too.

One of my next posts will focus on how to calm your fussy, noisy baby.