As Father’s Day approaches, I can’t help but get a little sappy. While there are certainly things my husband does that drive me crazy (like staring at the box of crackers in the pantry while shouting, “Hey Honey! Where are the crackers?”), there are also things about him that I am crazy about. One of those things is how his parenting style makes me a better Mom.

Here are 3 parenting things my husband does that I wish I did more often:

1.      Be Ambitious with the Kids:  On any given weekend, I try not to schedule too many family activities. With Max still taking (and needing) regular naps, I’m worried that trying to accomplish too much means a one-way trip to Crankytown (for me).  But not the case for the Hubs. Nope, when he is on his own with the kids, he masterminds grand plans just short of trekking to Katmandu. Last weekend, for example, I had brunch plans so he decided that he and the kids would take a morning hike, pick up something at the sports equipment store, drive to the beach, enjoy a picnic lunch and then, finally, head for ice cream. Did I mention I was only away for a few hours? But, remarkably, he managed to do all those things and the kids were still beaming and intact when they stepped in the door. “Wow,” I said “Be honest, did you drug them?” He confirmed “No.” So I’m learning to be bolder with things we can do with the kids each day and not to shortchange my kids or myself.

 2.      Stay Away from Parenting Books:  While I’m poring over manuals about pregnancy expectations, feeding, and potty training, my husband is actually making use of his magazine subscriptions (instead stacking them in a corner of our bedroom to gather dust, like mine). Whereas I drive myself crazy reading about whether my kids are getting enough sunshine — or too much — my husband takes the laissez-faire approach to parenting. And as a result, he is a lot less stressed and generally more Zen than I am. For instance, I recall reading all about how to start our daughter, Elle, on solid food. He looked at me incredulously and said, “Don’t you just put the spoon in her mouth and feed her?”  “Well. Err, yes … I suppose.” As a new Mom, I definitely went gung-ho on the parenting manuals. Letting go and trusting my gut is something I learned from my husband. Remember, cavemen took care of their kids. No manuals required.

 3.      Lose the Guilt: Moms are relentless when it comes to self-inflicted guilt. Am I spending enough time with my kids? Should I be more involved at their school? Does tonight’s dinner have enough protein? I know that there are many things my husband wishes he could do more of with the kids. But the difference is he doesn’t carry a wad of Daddy guilt around with him like most Moms I know. Myself included. He just enjoys the time he has with our kids and maximizes the moments he has. No guilt. No remorse. Just good ol’ Daddy-time.

This Sunday, the kids and I will be honoring their wonderful Dad. But I will be celebrating these wonderful parenting lessons as well.

 What parenting lessons have you learned from your husband/partner?