Please explain to me how a father of three or more children can come home a have a happy hour, 2 or 3 drinks, then plop down on the couch or vegetate on the computer or watch the news, channel surf,

Take my word for it: it happens - daily.

Not sure if he would call himself useful around the house, though. LOL.

ETA: He works 10-11 hours a day in a non-manual labor job.

He does not do any "women's work," nor would I expect him to. I'm not looking for laundry help, dishes help, shopping help, etc.

But, I think it would be good for kids to have a little more interaction with their Dads in general. I have talked to far too many Trad ladies whose husbands seem to have the idea that parenting involves a steady paycheck - the end.

I have had some friends say they think their husbands don't even know their kids, which is sad.

I am not at all opposed to the idea that the man comes home from work and settles down with a beer to relax, have dinner, watch a little news, computer time, etc. It's just when it goes for FOUR hours straight from 6pm - 10pm that it seems excessive to me.

With regard to the original post, the deficiency (in my mind) is that the father chooses to isolate himself from the family rather than participate with them.  It seems odd to me that he would drink in such a quantity and without the company of his wife.

From my perspective, the father might utilize the time to work with his wife to complete the tasks so that they can both be done for the day.

DING DING DING!

Drinking, in moderation, is fine.

Drinking daily - not so much.

With regard to the original post, the deficiency (in my mind) is that the father chooses to isolate himself from the family rather than participate with them.  

I see this a lot among traditionalist young fathers. They don't seem to want to do things with their children. As an example, one time they had a camp out for the boys and there were 4 young fathers (under 35) besides myself. They let the children go off and do whatever, while they sat around the campfire and drank whiskey and argued/talked about stupidities. After 1/2 hour of watching them, I went to teach their children how to fish. They didn't even know how to use a Zebco.

It seems like life for these young men is all about themselves, like they have not grown up into being a father. Then when the children are 13, they send them away to school never to see them again, but a few weeks in the summer. The children graduate from school/college and move some other place and start the same process again. It is almost like they are snakes, who bury their eggs and leave their offspring to fend for themselves.
 

I made ceviche for dinner [...] and watered house plants.

Am I to believe that no readers here understand the potential relaxation provided by preparing food for a family or other audience?

•    Especially when one can apply not only creativity, but also joviality that's reminiscent of culinary-t.v. star Julia Childs?
•    Oh, d___!  She applied alcoholic beverages liberally!  Is it really a revelation that it is possible to imbibe and cook at the same time?
  
  
  Quote from: mw2016 (Jun 22, 2016, 3:04 pm)

  Quote from: JohnAnthonyMarie (#19)(Jun 21, 2016, 2:42 pm)

  I [...] started a load of laundry.  Changed the bed sheets, dusted a few rooms [....]  No women were displaced by my efforts.
  

  
  What planet are you from??
  

  
  On the other hand, I'm certainly no exemplar for the latter chores.
  
  -------
  Note #: Unless one is being nagged by people who aren't doing the actual work in the kitchen, of course.
  
  Note *: Yes, I know Childs was an agent for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS): the WW-II-era predecessor of the CIA.   So now we must
  reject all of her cookbooks as psy-ops?  BFD!

Tradhican, does your family have dinner at the table most nights? If not, you might want to start there. That way everyone comes together and interacts in a relaxed way. Pray the rosary after the meal.

Quote from: Alexandrina1

Tradhican, does your family have dinner at the table most nights? If not, you might want to start there. That way everyone comes together and interacts in a relaxed way. Pray the rosary after the meal.

Excellent advice, thanks.

I am a man, the problem described is not mine. We are of Spanish blood, dinner for us is a celebration of family, we eat unreal food and I (the father) tell the children stories about the family going back over 100 years. If I don't tell any stories, they ask me to.

We do the rosary in the morning, so if we miss doing it, we can do it some time during the day.

God Bless

You're not the wife, oh sorry!   I missed that. Glad you have such nice times at dinner, sounds good! What's unreal food?

I actually think everyone (including the mother) whose been working hard all day should take it easy after the dinner dishes are cleaned up, etc. I agree with letting the kids alone, too. Let the younger ones play a game or something before bedtime. A little free time is good for everyone.

Quote from: Alexandrina1

Quote from: Last Tradhican

Quote from: Alexandrina1

Tradhican, does your family have dinner at the table most nights? If not, you might want to start there. That way everyone comes together and interacts in a relaxed way. Pray the rosary after the meal.

Excellent advice, thanks.

I am a man, the problem described is not mine. We are of Spanish blood, dinner for us is a celebration of family, we eat unreal food and I (the father) tell the children stories about the family going back over 100 years. If I don't tell any stories, they ask me to.

We do the rosary in the morning, so if we miss doing it, we can do it some time during the day.

God Bless

You're not the wife, oh sorry!   I missed that. Glad you have such nice times at dinner, sounds good! What's unreal food?

I actually think everyone (including the mother) whose been working hard all day should take it easy after the dinner dishes are cleaned up, etc. I agree with letting the kids alone, too. Let the younger ones play a game or something before bedtime. A little free time is good for everyone.

Is this for families with preschool age children? No evening chauffeuring?  

Me? We've got kids here from young adults down to grade school. I don't drive much at night; not often here. A little on the weekends. Do you drive kids around a lot at night?