Since we’ve been in Texas, Mariah has had to work full time to help cover some expenses such as health insurance and such. She’s always worked some, but we’ve been in the same office and our kids have been in the same building, so things were a little different in Detroit.
With Mariah having the tighter schedule, and being further away, most of the interaction with the kids has fallen on me. God save the kids!! I’m more than willing to step in and handle being at home when then bus gets there, getting dinner ready when Mariah gets home, having the kids work on homework before they go out and play with their friends, but all the other stuff is getting on my nerves!
I hate going to Parent-Teacher conferences! I hated them when I was a child, I hated them when I was a teacher, and I absolutely hate them as a parent! If there’s a problem call me, if not I obviously trust you to educate my child, I don’t want to sit down and talk about it! It seems the same conversations from 30-40 years ago are happening all over again. Any Humphries child who happens to be a female is all … ”they’re so sweet, great students, I love having them in class!” Any male Humphries goes something like … “talks too much, could do ALOT better, respectful but doesn’t do his homework!” Poor Clay, he’s going to be a minister, while the girls are going to be business leaders!
Then there are the doctor appointments. When Mariah was in the picture, I would blow these off unless there were multiple shots being given, then I would step in and handle the appointment to save Mariah from Post Traumatic Stress syndrome. Now, its all on me! – “Mr Humphries, do you want your child to have the shot or mist?” “I don’t care, what takes the least amount of time? Does it cost any different?” “Mr. Humphries, they’re both the same, its really up to you, by the way your child is hiding in the corner in the fetal position crying.” “Don’t worry about her, I can drag her out, lets go with the shot and get it over with!” – My kids are crying for their mother to take them to the doctor now, I can’t understand why?
I’ve always been a hands-on-Dad, I’ve changed everyone’s diaper, I’ve successfully taught everyone how to ride a bike, I don’t mind going anywhere with just me and the kids, but being Mr Mom is driving me a little crazy! Poor Mariah, its killing her too! I don’t know what Hannah’s teacher said about her classroom performance, I just wanted to get out of the chair that was made for a three foot 6 year old! Juliane’s teacher snagged me in the hallway, and I couldn’t tell you what she said other than the fact that Jude wasn’t doing drugs and hadn’t been involved in any physical altercation lately. Clay’s teachers have concerns, and I begged them to call his mother and tell her, because I was going to forget by the time she got home.
I need my wife in my life! She makes sure its all in order and everything is functioning correctly! I am no Mr Mom, I’m happy being the supporting cast to Mariah’s home production, she does a way better job than I do, just ask the kids! Just please don’t ask their teachers!
Amos is the pastor at Park Lake Drive Baptist Church in Waco, Texas. He is married to Mariah, and they have three children: Clay, Juliane, and Hannah. Mariah keeps Amos cool and up-to-date, while Amos keeps Mariah loose and occasionally frustrated. 
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hilarious! it’s even more funny to me because i know it’s true!
Now you know how Dad felt! After his heart stuff, he started doing the teacher/parent conferences, to see Dr. Bruer and the orthodontist. I think of the two, Dad was the better to do all of that…Mom would say suck it up, life’s not fair and why didn’t you get the A+ instead of the A, slacker? Dad would talk it out more and then say, hey, let’s get lunch.
One last thing…I’ll never forget the times I came out of an appointment and dad was asleep in the waiting room chair.
What a different childhood you had than me! Dad would tell me to suck it up at the doctor’s office, and they both thought I was borderline mental in school! Plus, I think Dad was older and grumpier with me, different ballgame being a son than being a daughter!