Dad's Perspective: Blizzard 2005 vs. Triplets 1-2-3
By Jonathan White, Triplet Dad
Originally printed in March, 2005

March.  In like a lion and out like a lamb.

Blizzard 2005, this last weekend, reminded me that staying inside all 
day with three energetic, 3-year olds is a much harder job than clearing 
snow from a 100-foot driveway.  How old do they have to be before 
they can help shovel?

I swear that if anyone near me today even mentions the word “bored,” 
I’m going to throttle them.

We had been awake for less than an hour when it started.  Toys scattered 
from one end of the family room to the other.  Breakfast was still waiting 
to be served.  The dogs were still shivering from their forced journey into 
the frozen backyard when this angelic face looks up at me with a sad 
expression and says, “Daddy, I’m bored.”

That was it.  Like seagulls spotting a french fry in a Burger King 
parking lot, the other two then realized that the toys they had been 
engrossed in only seconds before were now totally inadequate.  

“Daddy, I’m bored.”

“I’m bored too.”

The beginning of the end.  And it was only Saturday.  The big snow 
wasn’t even supposed to come until that night.

We read books.  They fought.  We watched a video.  Twice.  They fought.  
We played with the train set.  They fought.  We played with the blocks.  
They fought.  It’s not even lunch time?  There’s something to be said 
about New England winters… They stink!

I wonder which represents the greater period of time: the time it takes 
to put on three snow suits, three hats, three pairs of mittens, and three 
pairs of boots or the amount of time it takes to go from “I’m bored” 
to “I’m cold.”

There’s something I noticed almost as soon as we joined TMM.  I always thought 
it was odd that all the Dads Nights Out were held in places that served 
alcohol.  Now, I can totally understand why.  But now, I wonder who these 
four or five fathers are that are apparently brave enough to go out for a 
social evening that doesn’t include their wife and, who are still able to 
breathe and take nourishment.  I bet they don’t meet during the winter.

This weekend really put into perspective what all the triplet and quad 
moms go through all day, every day.  Renée has reminded me that TMM is 
looking for fathers to send in notes this month for Mother’s Day that 
will be included in the May edition.  Somewhere in this newsletter, there 
is more information.  Don’t wait for your wife to cut it out and place it 
in your wallet as a reminder.  She’s probably not bored...