Jackson and I have been hanging out together for over two weeks now. I opted for "bonding leave" to spend time with him. I'm grateful for the opportunity and benefit to quit working for a while so I can really focus on getting to know my baby. At first, the appeal of not working and staying home was a big part of the attraction. And even though being away from work is really nice, the real benefit is being home with Jackson.
First off, being away from work and being home may seem like a vacation and let me tell you, it's not a vacation at all. In fact it's hard work. I'd even go as far as to say in a lot of ways it's harder than going to work. Many of you reading this (assuming anyone is reading) may already know this and are chuckling at my realization. I knew it was hard because Allison did it for months prior to my tour of duty beginning. But, it's hard to fully fathom until you're actually doing it. Don't get me wrong, purging my brain of all the nonsense that happens at work is very refreshing. It is just that taking care of a baby, while being simple in all reality, takes a lot of energy and patience. I would say it's not for everybody even though everyone I know would happily take some time off work.
The bigger lesson though, isn't so much how difficult it is, but how great it is too. I'm so glad I made the decision to take this time. I was very nervous about and I'll admit that I had second thoughts after the first week. But, now that I'm gaining experience and Jackson is used to the change, I'm becoming a pro. Yeah, it's still difficult, but there is so much more intrinsic value in taking care of your baby than with working. Some may disagree but for me, it's a no brainer. He pushes me and together we are developing a relationship that is certainly closer than if I had not taken this time. I'm truly convinced that this will make us closer and I wholeheartedly recommend it for any dad. Unfortunately, not everyone can do it, but those that can and have would likely attest to some of what I've expressed. I still have another month to go and I'm looking forward to it more than ever now that my initiation is over. Jackson is a good baby and I'm a proud papa.