Copasetic Flow

 The gang, 9 y.o. Daize, 8 y.o. Towser, and 5 y.o. Tawnse all poured back into the house dancing and smiling, squeaking and pouncing on one another. They'd been out for twenty minutes running around a new outdoor location with their dog.  We've been locked down fairly hard the last few weeks as the count of Covid cases has risen in our little town. When we have ventured out and about, it's been to the same places over and over again. The places were fun. The kids invented games that went along with the space... running in and out of shallow test mines, six feet deep with gently sloping entrances.  Those were different sorts of experiences though. The gang were inventing new 'routines', (their word not mine; maybe they picked up the phrasing from their buddies in organized, performative sports?). They were shooting to make their routines snazzy—they’d finish up by hopping, in sequence, onto one of the land bridges between the test mines, the two larger kids framing t

So, guys, I'm seeing in the media that we're not doing enough. I'm seeing that childcare is (statistically speaking) falling back on women in disproportionate amounts. I've read the studies. They seem legit. Women are actually winding up unemployed because of all this. We're just not doing enough, enough of the time.   And so, you know, since we did sire those kids after all, it seems like we should try to do better.   I don't have a clue what your circumstances are, only you know that, but let me share mine with you. Maybe they'll be similar.   I'm lucky. I get to work remote. Consequently I'm around the house a lot what with the pandemic and all that. I do a lot with the kids. But lately, I've found myself doing this thing. I've found myself reflecting on how important my job is. And you know, it is, up to a point. Food's nice. Sleeping indoors, also pretty damned spiffy. And yet... I've been finding myself focusing on doing more an