New Daddy Learnings

Most girls seem to pop from the magic V ready to start learning how to be moms. Thing 1 and 2 began early to play with dolls; have tea party klatches; they intelligently critique TV moms. Fortunately, except for the last they have pretty much put it behind them — at least with me.

But dads-to-be? They magically pop as well, but from immediately after to much later they are pretty much oblivious to the future and — via popular cliche — oblivious when they get there as well. Would the dadworld be better if there were an education path that led from dad preschool to Dad University.

What class should teach the choices one can make about continuing to smoke dope and drink alcohol during their wife's pregnancy. Would it be dad home ec when the fashion sense is gained that will keep them away from wearing the new daddy safari vest in "cool" orange and black and special pockets for #5 diapers? Yes, there are now daddy classes reaching down into the teen years, but students in those are already papas or well on their way.

Of course, maybe the secret is not getting boys to learn to be dads earlier, but getting girls to change their focus a bit. After all, one of those women who always dreamed about becoming Cinderella and a mom did power hose her daughter at a car wash. Maybe she just missed a day or two of mom classes.

** Nature's way? Hard to comprehend, sometimes. **