Triple The Dad

Recently I was featured as a “Brilliant Dad” over at diydaddyblog.com . That isn’t to brag. I think the bar for parenting is pretty low.   Despite this, I don’t feel very brilliant most days.  That is the truth. I see so many posts on twitter and on blogs about parenting by “instinct.”  But what if my instincts are all wrong? As I said in my Brilliant Dad feature, I’m not sure I’m constructed to really parent well. I’m a bit of a loner; I’m a bit introverted; I need alone time to “recharge,” and without it I can be short tempered. I’m frustrated when people can’t follow directions. None of these are great qualities to have as a parent.  That last one is pretty much the definition of four year olds and nothing will make you butt heads with a four-year old faster than acting  like a four-year old. And so my instinct is to do it myself; at least when I’m not sighing and expressing anger. Because I need that recharge time, I find myself strugg...