he nods, understands completely, takes over all care until i have recovered, makes me dinner, cleans the kitchen and tidies downstairs while i put them to bed, pours me some wine, gently asks if i want to talk or not... and listens if i do... and acknowledges that parenting small children is the hardest job in the world.
which is about what i expect froma life partner and father of my children tbh... any less than that is just shit, isnt it? (strongly feminist upbringing, thanks mum.)
i do the same for him when he has a hard time. thats why we're called partners.
'course, since we're both human, there are times we're not best placed to look after each others low points, but we try, and we apologise when we've let each other down and get back on track.
and he doesnt look after the kids exactly as i would, but then i dont do it the way he would... i have learned to let him be the father he is, and spend my energies on changing the things i can, like my own behaviour.
do i get trite post of the week award or what???