Corporate Dad Turned Domestic Diva

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Like most of you, I was excited to start 2020. Things were going well at work, our oldest’s dance competition season was getting ready to start and one of our sons was going to play lacrosse for the first time (lacrosse was my sport growing up so I was stoked about this). In the background of daily life, I was aware of a new virus that was breaking out in China but I didn’t think much of it. Life was good.

Then March roared in like a lion.

domestic diva

NCAA March madness – canceled
Son’s lacrosse season – canceled
Daughter’s dance competition season – canceled
School – we’re going remote
Work – furloughed until who knows when

In four weeks, my world came to a screeching halt and I had a choice to make: wallow in self-pity or rally and make the best of the situation? I chose to rally.

I quickly shifted from a man who was the primary income earner to a 1st-grade teacher, domestic diva and gourmet chef wrapped into one. I did this without thinking twice to ensure that my wife, who also had her world altered, did not have these additional stresses added to her plate.

Since we were not running in a million different directions like we normally would, we used this time to draw closer as a family. We ate more home-cooked meals and enjoyed many family movie nights. We had a boys versus girls photo scavenger hunt with an ice cream ending, campfires and sleepovers.

While things are starting to get back to something that resembles normal, I will always look back and cherish that time when a global pandemic resulted in our family growing closer and stronger.


Special thank you to our guest writer, Bill Carlin.

I was born in Florida, but moved to Maryland, then to Ohio. I’ve been in the Dayton area for 18 years. I’m a father to two amazing daughters and twin boys. Besides loving my job, I enjoy Ohio State Football, lacrosse, trail running and craft beer.