The Coalface Beckons

So after two months away from work, I'm heading back to my regular day job on Monday. I have to say it has been an absolute privilege to be able to spend these weeks with my youngest, watching him develop up close and personal. We've weaned, we've got the hang of intermittent catheterisation and even sprouted a tooth along the way. It has been good to have the opportunity to walk my eldest to and from school ensuring he settled, though we're yet to have much of a breakthrough in him being able to answer my recurring question 'what did you do at school today?'

As much as I've enjoyed the last couple of months, I think I'm ready to get back into the swing of office life. While being at home with access to the fridge and cupboard hasn't been to the detriment of my diet, returning to a more rigid daily routine will probably help ensure I get to Christmas in the best possible shape. Without the daily walk to and from school this week during half term, I'm feeling myself slide back towards old habits. Inactivity breeds further inactivity, so a bit of 9-5 won't hurt.

If any of my male friends get the chance to take additional paternity leave, I'd thoroughly recommend it. Obviously the economics have to be right for it to happen, but if you're happy to get your hands dirty and play daddydaycare, the experience is so much more rewarding than your regular pay packet. Admittedly I've been somewhat annoyed at how many times I've had people of the opposite sex comment that I'm 'playing mum' - you'd have thought that in the 21st century we may be a bit further advanced than resorting to gender stereotypes, but seemingly not in the NHS!

Be warned though, it is not just an excuse to take a couple of months off work to dig out the playstation while jr takes care of themselves in the corner. For the first seven weeks my PS3 just gathered dust, though I admit it was tough to put down the copy of GTA5 I held in my palms in Sainsburys on release day, knowing I had just enough Nectar Points to get it without breaking the bank. Admittedly my circumstances have been somewhat out of the ordinary with the little one having a pretty busy schedule to keep. In the last two months by my reckoning we've been to see a neurosurgeon, a physiotherapist (plus Brunel placement student), a paediatrician, an audiologist, a paediatric consultant, seen two separate community nurses, met an occupational therapist assistant (plus Brunel placement student), attended a pre-assessment appointment and undergone an MRI. Throw in settling in sessions at nursery three days a week during October, plus swimming lessons after school for big brother and it is pretty clear that this stay at home parent gig is anything but an easy ride. My level of respect for mums or dads who give up work to look after their children has increased tenfold.

When I began my paternity leave I had concerns that a break from working life would impact upon my diet. On the contrary, two months away from the day job has had a pretty good effect. More than a stone lost, a 10k run, lots and lots and lots of kilometres walked with a pushchair. All good things must come to an end though, and so on Monday I go back to the coalface. It was fun while it lasted.