Domestic Dynamo: Adventures in At-Home Dad Life and Household Mastery

I want to apologize, Mom. When I was a child, maintaining a clean house was a constant struggle. You spent the entire day cleaning, only for us to return home and create a mess. This cycle led to frustration, followed by us quietly cleaning up while sharing interesting facts of the day. Keeping a house clean seemed like an endless task, and it’s something I’ve always taken seriously, even to the point of owning a house cleaning business. At one point, I managed 100 cleaning teams that cared for houses daily and had 100 retail locations across five states. So when I say I have a method, you can trust that I do.

My cleaning routine typically goes like this: I don’t clean every room every day. On weekends, I gather the family to do a top-to-bottom cleaning, and during the week, I choose one room to focus on. In the mornings, while the younger children are occupied with playtime and videos, I tackle that room. Then, when the older kids return from school, they spend an hour outside playing. Afterward, they help clean up the toddler’s mess in the living and TV rooms, vacuum the stairs, and tidy up their bathroom from their morning routine (which often spills into the evening because it’s never done the night before). I’ll admit it’s not always perfect, but in the grand scheme of things, perfection isn’t my priority. The house will only look like it’s straight out of Better Homes and Gardens if I spend my entire day cleaning every room, and frankly, I have better things to do.

I’m home with three children under the age of four every day. Then, when the older kids return from school at ages 7, 8, and 9, my wife doesn’t get home until after 6 most nights. I prefer spending time doing fun activities and taking my well-deserved nap while the toddlers are asleep. Two hours of rest each day, with Star Trek reruns in the background, is my little piece of relaxation heaven.

We have case workers visiting us regularly, and fortunately, they understand our situation, so I’m not stressing about the occasional clutter. Being an at-home dad is about being present for my children, not being their housemaid. It’s all about finding that balance between maintaining a clean home and enjoying life. So, my advice is to savor life, play with your kids, take that well-deserved nap, and remember that you’ve got this.

With unwavering commitment to the journey, James Radford