From the Mouths of Babes and Other Quick Hits

You gotta love this. The Pensacola News-Journal published a bunch of "Father of the Year" essays from local school kids. Here's my favorite:

2. Payton Drummond -- father, Richard Lynn Jones

To start, I was born without a dad. So to me my dad means I was chosen, because when someone else didn't want to be my dad he did. One time before my mom and dad got married, I called him dad. My mom was really surprised, she had never taught me that word. I guess I decided I wanted him to be my dad before my mom did. What my mom did not know was my dad was trying to get me to call him dad every time she left the room. He chose me and my mom. That is one reason why I really love him and I would not have it any other way.

Some of the best times we have is when we read together. We have read a book called McGrowl BEWARE OF DOG. Its a really good book but it put daddy to sleep. Zzzzz! Imagine that. Sitting there reading and then your dad falls asleep. Actually, I find it kind of funny. Eventually he woke up but only because I made him.

My dad is a stay at home dad for now. Its really cool because he is always there waiting for me and my little brother when we come home from school. So, that means more time to spend with daddy! YYYYAAA! Also he is a very great cook he makes delicious things like spaghetti, meatloaf, and BBQ chicken. He helps me do my homework and clean my room. He tucks me into bed every night.

I would love to tell you more but it would make this essay about a million words long and I'm only allowed to use three hundred. So all I can say is I really love my super, duper, stay at home dad.

Last week I swore that if Caitlin Flanagan began being taken seriously as a political commentator, I'd be moving to Canada. Now I see this Time essay in which Flanagan is being taken seriously as a political commentator. What are property values like in Vancouver, anyway?

(Flanagan's viewpoint is lost on me. She holds herself up as some sort of ideal Democrat, driven from the party because of one teeny, tiny issue -- her rampant neo-traditionalism. This would be a valid argument if Flanagan had indeed spent any time during her five years in the spotlight arguing for reproductive rights or against the war in Iraq or in favor of universal healthcare. But until now, she has used her high and mighty perch at the New Yorker and the Atlantic to beat home a single issue, promoting from every angle the idea that women ought to be at home. But for a much better analysis, check out Echidne of the Snakes on the topic.)

Show Me the Money: I'm sure everyone has seen the salary.com report that suggests that at-home moms do $134,212 worth of household work. These are always fun stories, but I prefer Ric Edelman's estimate: $635,724.