The Good Life – March-April 2018

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FATHERS // MR. FULL-TIME DAD I May Have Been Overly Optimistic About Everything WRITTEN BY: BEN HANSON A few months back, I wrote in these very pages about how the transition from a 1-year-old to a 2-year-old didn’t seem all that scary. I dared the “terrible twos” to bring it on, putting my hubris on display for all the world to read. Well, I may have made a huge mistake. Six months ago when I was feeling so optimistic about the challenge of parenting a 2-year-old, Macklin was still a baby for all practical purposes. He was only just becoming self aware, which means his mom and I were still able to steer his behavior and mood with great effect. Fast forward to now, with changes hurtling at us from every direction, including his increasing cognitive independence, and I couldn’t tell you with any degree of certainty what kind of Mack we’ll be dealing with even five seconds from now. A Two in Three’s Quarters The big shift started the day we were notified by that Macklin would be transitioning up to the next class at daycare. His move from the twos room to the threes came as more of a shock to his mother and me than it did him… I mean he’s a 2-year-old who’s still getting the hang of object permanence. Something as abstract as a forthcoming change of setting — as impactful as it proved to be — was beyond his cognitive grasp. We had three weeks to prepare for the move, including one week of gradual transition where Macklin would spend part of his day in his regular room and the other part in his new room. That was when the so-called “terrible twos” first made an appearance. Out of nowhere, the tantrums started. And for the littlest of things. For example, letting the dog out. How dare I open the sliding glass door to let Lucy out back for a potty break without first consulting Macklin! We learned quickly that if he was able to carry out a task, we’d better ask him first if he’d like to do it. Otherwise, tantrum. “I do it! I do it!” On the upside, these tantrums only last a few seconds… but a day full of micro-tantrums can still make for a long day. 2 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
We’ve also learned that “no” often means “ask me again in two seconds.” We got to the point of discussing the pros and cons of who would let the dog out, how there would be countless more opportunities to slide that door open and the reality of how the animal digestive system operates round the clock. The Big Boy Bed Another monumental change, but this time one he’d been asking for. Ever since we went to visit the in-laws and discovered his two little cousins were now sleeping in “big girl” bunk beds, Macklin began asking when he was going to get a “big boy” bed of his own. We couldn’t resist, as the introduction of a twin bed into the mix held the promise of more snuggles and a better excuse for falling asleep during nap time. In hindsight, however, a wiser choice on our part may have been to wait until after the daycare transition was complete before introducing another new variable to his routine. Change is tough for us adults, but it’s even tougher for a toddler who has only known one thing… be it a classroom or a bedroom configuration. His new bed inadvertently moved him one step closer to independence, and he knew it immediately. Apparently, with big boy beds come big boy responsibilities, or so he believed. We’ve smoothed out our evening routines since, but those first few weeks were a definite regression in the battle of wills I now realize may have no end. Potty Training I don’t blame daycare for the unavoidable challenge that is potty training, but with his move up to the threes room came with the condition that potty training become top priority. So, to recap, in the span of a couple of weeks, Mack changed rooms, changed beds and is now, at least occasionally, walking around with poop in his pants. For the first time, I’ve stopped being jealous of his life… if only momentarily. Similarly — and thankfully — I’ve learned that potty training is only awful momentarily. Bringing home a bag full of soiled clothing from daycare is awful, but only for a moment. You either throw that whole bag in the garbage before entering the house, or you throw it into the wash and forget about it (pretreated, of course). Overall, the twos aren’t bad for Macklin. They’re just another developmental stage he must go through, and we’re along for the ride. His growing independence is what makes it hard for us. Everyday he’s coming up with more of his own opinions and ideas, most of which are fun and creative. Others are just, well… inconvenient. Potty training — and his feelings about it — fall into the latter category. The good news is it’s all momentary. • urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 3
Page 4 and 5: Contents MARCH-APRIL 2018 / VOLUME
Page 6 and 7: WRITTEN BY: KRISSY NESS PHOTOGRAPHY
Page 8 and 9: to keep fencing but found the close
Page 10 and 11: UNITED STATES // Barbecue Grill Ame
Page 12 and 13: HAVING A BEER WITH // TOM SZYMANSKI
Page 14 and 15: HAVING A BEER WITH // TOM SZYMANSKI
Page 16 and 17: Ask 30 WOMEN WHAT MAKES A MAN ATTRA
Page 18 and 19: COVER // MICHAEL SCHLACT 18 / THE G
Page 20 and 21: COVER // MICHAEL SCHLACT “He saw
Page 22 and 23: COVER // MICHAEL SCHLACT “The tra
Page 24 and 25: UNITED WAY'S TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS
Page 26 and 27: One of United Way’s Bold Communit
Page 28 and 29: Introducing American Blended Bourbo
Page 30 and 31: LOCAL HERO // HARWOOD FIRE AND RESC

The Good Life – March-April 2018

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