I sometimes look at my life and have to remind myself my experience of fatherhood is very different to many other menfolk. Put bluntly, my existence has gone off in a completely different direction compared to my male peers who work full-time.
As a parent, I find there are few things more terrifying than my child asking to go and play at a neighbouring friend’s house. Play date etiquette surrounding these situations is just so….confusing.
There I was, tidying up, ironing clothes and cleaning our house. As I did so, my mind wandered to all those parenting milestones us parents go through: Pregnancy, birth, baptism, first day at nursery, first day at school and so on.
Trying to balance caring responsibilities with employment is never easy. Going back several years, I had a part time job that I left when my eldest daughter started school. I tried to make it work for several months but my stress levels became worryingly high, despite my employer being very understanding.
Next time you are in a hotel or restaurant and admiring the artificial foliage, keep in mind that it may have been supplied by Mark Gurtler’s company, Greenbrokers. This former management consultant remembers his father working long hours away from the family home and didn’t want this lifestyle.
