What We Really Need is a Daddy Cam
October 9, 2007 by kate baggott
Filed under Baby Care, Mental Health
There are day care cams, nanny cams and zoo baby cams, but it has just occurred to me that what my children really need and want is a daddy cam. I’m not saying it needs to be a form of surveillance, but in our house what Daddy does all day is a bit of a mystery. Both the kids have been to the various places I teach English, in fact, during kids’ lessons they have been very helpful assistants. They have looked at the outside of their father’s office block, but they have never been past the lobby. My five year-old, at different times, has insisted that his father is a fireman and a farmer.
“No, your daddy is a programmer,” I’ve had to tell him, only to receive a blank stare in response.
A daddy cam would not only help my son learn about his father’s profession, it would give my younger daughter a chance to see just what her father is doing and why his transitions from one point of the day to another don’t match the ones the kids and I make together. Whenever we thought about him in the hours we are together after kindergarten, we could log into a web site and watch a video feed to see what daddy actually does at work.
I am not saying that 95% of what we see won’t be terribly, terribly boring.
“Look, Daddy’s sitting in his chair and using a keyboard!”
“Look! He’s still sitting there.”
The other 5% would be more interesting, at least to a child.
“Why does Daddy have soup and bread with salad in the cafeteria every day? How come he never takes the cake instead of ice cream for dessert?”
“Who are the people in the meeting? Is that Daddy’s boss? Is she a good guy or a bad guy?”
This the minutia that can make a thousand conversations over dinner. These are the details that would bring children into their WOHDs’ (Work Outside the Home Dads) worlds.
Everyone has seen enough of zoo cams. How many live panda births can you watch before it gets old? We got over the web cam girls in 1998, and no one needs to see another strip tease. No, it is time for something new and the internet always delivers on the desire for something new. I am sure the first daddy cam portraying a WOHD is about to be unveiled to the world.
I, for one, can’t wait.
I think this would be a great idea. I remembering always wondering what my daddy did when I was younger, and hated not having him around all day. Once or twice I did go into his office building… I still remember the smell and playing with whiteboard pens, lol.
Callums knows the place where his daddy works quite intimatly. He works at a local food establishment, as I used to. He’s been here there and everywhere inside it – including where the panic button is… and (of course) pushed it! Thankfully the policement were in good spirits.
It would be nice for him, being able to see daddy actually working methinks. So long as he learns to stop scratching his arse on breaks!
Funny; but smart. Cedar does know what I do since I work at home but he is confused about his dad’s job so that would help. With how exciting tv is now though; he might get bored watching Ben at work.
Mod. Mum- Why is it that panic buttons, emergency stop buttons on lifts, and fire alarms are always set at little child height?
Jennifer- Oh yeah! After Daddy Cam, paint drying will be the new reality TV hit.
We use a webcam so The Boy can see Kevin when we are apart. The first few times, he was confused, but now he likes to “talk” to Daddy via video chat.
P.S. In our home, we’d also need a Mommy cam. It’s harder to explain what I do than what Kevin does.
The worst thing is, he did it on two seperate occasions! I couldn’t believe he’d gone straight to it as I actually turned my head whilst I took a bite of my dinner (Which was so wrong of me of course!)
I’m just glad the ansul system is much higher up. the ansul system is a foam thingy… and it takes 3 days to clean it up enough to open the resturant again…
I don’t blame kids doing it though… they are awfully tempting looking buttons… even at 21 I stil; have to stop myself pushing buttons!
Maria- It sure is!
Mod.Mum- Yeah! Those red buttons have a special lure.
If I had one it’d be exactly as you describe.. “ooh look he’s sitting in front of a computer” “ooh he’s drinking coffee” “ooh now he’s drinking tea”. It’d be good to use before nap time to put people to sleep. Actually I admit it almost puts me to sleep sometimes