Close-out report: Long Weekend with Children

Date: 3-5 June, 2006
Location: Ngaio, Wellington, New Zealand

Scope: This report focuses on the activities and interactions between myself (Speaka) and my three children. Child J is a 6 year old girl. Child E is a 5 year old boy. Child N is a 2.5 year old boy.

Background: In 2006, the Queen's birthday celebration in New Zealand landed on 5 June, making the first weekend in June a long one. Talie the matriarch of the family decided to use this opportunity for a "Girl's weekend" in Taupo with a visiting friend. This left Speaka as a single parent for the weekend.

Normally, Talie is the primary childcare provider in the family since Speaka is the primary income provider from work outside the home.

Observations:
Speaka and the children had an excellent weekend. We went to the museum twice and saw swordfighting and a cool movie about lives in New Zealand. We went to an art exhibit which was directed at children. J submited her colouring-in to a contest. We ate at an ethnic food market and at a pub. We climbed trees and played at the park.

Conclusions:
I love hanging out with the kids. I know that culturally I am supposed to say "I can't wait to go back to work for a rest" to the men, to show I'm macho, and to the women, to show that I am sensitive to the plights of a stay-at-home mom...but I don't feel that way. I had a great time and I feel like, if it was possible, I'd love to be a stay-at-home parent.

It's not to say that it wasn't hard work. I do not have a drivers licence so we have to bus/train everywhere. It was raining yesterday so we got wet. After being out all day, I wasn't really in the mood to go grocery shopping for supper but we did.

It was also the weekend so not representative of the many commitments that the kids have during the week (school, creche, playgroup) and again this would be difficult without a car.

It is hard but enjoyable work.

Recommendations:

Speaka get his drivers licence.

Family wins lottery to allow Speaka to stay home.