We started calling it a “Birth Storm” 🤰🏻⚡⛈️
It’s when a bunch of my wife Chels’s doula clients go into labor at once.
And that’s what happened this weekend.
She had 3 (!!!) women all go into labor within 24 hours of each other.
Which means I was thrust into 2+ days of consecutive solo dad duty.
Roger that. Time to lock in.
Offense vs. Defense As A Parent
I’ve found that parenting is a lot like Ironman training.
You have to play Offense. Or it will eat you alive.
And mini adventures are a successful offensive strategy when I’m solo with the kiddo.
grocery store, coffee shop or Home Depot
go to the park or farmer’s market
The entire day is 100x more smooth when we are out and about and exploring together compared to being at home all day.
Bonus points if we go somewhere new.
I’ve found that when there’s less expectation, it’s a lot easier to go with the flow.
Now let’s look at the opposite…
When I stay home with the kiddo all day, it turns into a game of…
“Don’t grab this, don’t go near that, stay here.”
It’s pure Defense… and it infects my mindset.
I’m on my heels. I feel worn down. And I find myself looking for a break.
I do not like being in that mindset as a parent. It’s not the best version of me.
So I take initiative and get us out doing fun stuff.
Front End vs. Back End Trades
It’s a good trade to put out a little extra effort on the front end (packing diaper bag, snacks, getting the car loaded up, etc.) to have a day out that is more care free and go with the flow.
It’s a bad trade to be lazy on the front end (sitting around the house letting the baby crawl around) and be stressed out when he needs to be entertained.
Apply This To Training
I noticed a big parallel to Ironman training.
Defense: letting life pull you in a million directions and hoping training happens on the back end.
Offense: getting training done first and then rolling with whatever life throws at you.
In both parenting and Ironman training, you have to grab the rock and take it to the rack.
