Cut Him Some Slack

The movies make him out to be stupid. TV shows show him as incompetent. Even music pokes fun at him. "Who is this?" You ask? It's Dad. It's your husband. Sure, sometimes it's innocent prodding. We even hear other dad's making fun of themselves. In the recent movie, "Mom's Night Out" (which we saw on our date night and both LOVED), but even this movie made fun of "Dad", his choices and how he did things as a father (because who takes an entourage of kids to an arcade with just himself and a tattooed muscle friend?!) Nonetheless…. I'd like to talk about Dad. 

From the birth of our children, mom's have this innate sense to nurture. Often the crying of our baby isn't "screeching on a chalkboard" kind of noise, but it is noise that we say, "I can help." The moment we pick up our baby, the crying calms. Nurturing is innate. As our children grow, we build up a tolerance to, "Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom." We build up a tolerance that there are 1, 2, or 3 kids all wanting something different from us at the same time and we can only do ONE thing at a time. But we do it, knowing there is a pecking order to our completion, each child will get answered…. in time. 

Husbands, dads, they have innate things built within them too. They have an innate sense to want to provide. They have a desire to provide. They have a desire to conquer, to move the family forward, to win for their wife. The constant internal need to provide what their family deserves, what they believe their wife deserves. He desires to take you on the trip you want to go on. He desires to pay the mortgage without you being stressed. He desires to get you in that house that you have always dreamed.

He is not stupid. He is not incompetent. Just the opposite. God has created him to WIN for YOU and for the Kingdom of God. 

He comes home and…. 

• He tries to unwind and turn off the corporate emails and conference calls ringing in his head. Cut him some slack.
• He is trying to forget that last customer that he just got yelled at. Cut him some slack.
• He is trying to measure up to all the expectations put on him from the recent conversation with his boss. He is after all, the provider of the family. Cut him some slack.
• He is trying to do his best to handle and grow the millions of dollars in his portfolio of business. Cut him some slack.
• He is thinking about the family finances, and how he can get you ahead. How he can save to take you on the trip that he knows you would love. Cut him some slack.
• He's thinking about the new vehicle that you need and how he can make it happen. Cut him some slack.
• He's trying to be a good husband and do the things he knows you want him to do, like dishes or mow the lawn or change the lightbulb in the garage or take out the trash or even just give you a break. He can tell you're exhausted. Cut him some slack.
• He's trying to be a great dad and play with the kids even when he's tired. Cut him some slack.
• And…. he's trying to pursue God. He's trying to make sure He is on the right path to be an impact for the Kingdom of God. Cut him some slack.

Ladies… I definitely am not perfect in this area. There are nights when my husband comes in the door, looks at me, and with that one look he can tell I am up to my ears with kids. I'm not always perfect in putting on my "Leave it to Beaver"-wife smile, my apron on, and dinner warm and sitting on the table ready when he walks in. I'm not perfect either.

Find out from him! Does he need some space when he gets home to unwind? 30 minutes? An hour? Maybe it's worth a discussion (when you both aren't tapped out and exhausted) to find out what he needs (and what you need), so when he is home with the family, he can be at his best. That might mean you, having an activity for the kids to be occupied for the first 30 minutes after dad gets home? 

With Father's day coming up… Cut him some slack. Not only does he love you and the kids, but he's doing the best he can to be the best he knows to be. 

We love you Dad! You are worthy. We respect you. And we think you are doing a great job! God has great plans for you Dad! 

1 Timothy 5:8  

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

1 Corinthians 11:3 

But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.