In a few days I’ll be going back to work after spending eight weeks learning to be a father. Today one of my friends asked me if anything interesting or insightful came up during this time.

A few items come to mind, nothing mind blowing.

  • Newborn babies are physically demanding. Much more so than I expected - many days I have found my muscles sore: from holding the baby or doing the innumerable tasks required around the house.
  • I have learned how to do productive work in very small increments. It is much slower, but getting something done is better than nothing.

The experience of going from not being a parent to being one reminded me of the experience of learning to drive. Before you start driving you have to pass the learner’s permit test, and to do that there is a required driver’s education course. The course was filled with the rules of the road, who has right of way, what each sign means, etc. I kept waiting for the course to tech me how to drive. It never did. I didn’t learn anything at all about driving until I got behind the wheel. For me that was kind of terrifying? How will I know what to do? Will I do the right thing?

Becoming a parent is just like that. You can study all you want, but at some point you are literally handed a child and left in a room with them. What am I supposed to do?

Well, just like driving: we learn by doing. A day later we felt comfortable going home.

Setting aside interesting or insightful, have I learned anything in the last two months?

  • I have learned how to change a diaper. I legitimately used Google the first time she pooped.
  • Learned to be more patient with my own goals.

Watching a newborn as a parent is wonderful. At first each day she seems a whole new person; totally different in size, shape and function. As the days go on there are delightful surprises. Popular media latches onto “the first word” as the big moment, but there are so many meaningful developments to enjoy. Just this morning we were noticing that she now grabs our clothing when we hold her.

Anyway, I’m also ready to go back to work. These eight weeks have been the longest I have been away from a regular job since I graduated from college. What is interesting? Usually I’m itching to go back to work about two weeks into a three week vacation. It took me about six weeks to start to miss the routine of my usual job. Perhaps that is because being a parent is not a vacation, it is a real job; but it does not engage the same facilities as my only job I had before. Now I’ll have two.