In 70 days, my youngest son will enter Kindergarten. And my time as a stay-at-home dad will enter a new phase. Rather than spending up to 14 hours a day dealing with the various wants and needs of children, I'll have a six-hour hole in the day that I can spend trying to get a paying job.

I'm always amazed at the indifference many people show toward parents at home. I've heard the word "lazy" a lot, especially from those who have a spouse at home. Sometimes this is fueled by jealousy, and sometimes it's simply a sign that some people can't see the forest for the trees.

So, as a Father's Day gift to at-home parents everywhere, let me give you a short accounting of a regular weekday in my household.

7:15--Get up and wake up the boys (and Barb, if necessary)
7:20--Make four breakfasts
7:35--Eat breakfast
7:45--Make three lunches
8:00--Get everyone ready to leave the house
8:15--Walk Max to school (1 1/4 miles each way)
9:15--Drive Sam to preschool
9:45--Do whatever errands are needed (grocery shopping, dry cleaning, Target run, drop a car off at the shop, etc.) or various jobs around the house (vacuuming, laundry, household repairs, etc.)
12:00--Make and eat lunch
12:40--Drive to pick up Sam from preschool
1:30--Get home for some Sam time (batting practice, Yahtzee, etc.)
3:10--Walk up to the bus stop and pick up Max
3:30--Make sure Max gets his homework done
4:00--Make snack for Max, Sam and whoever else might be at the house
4:15--More Sam time (and Max time, if he hasn't escaped to a friend's house) 5:00--Start making supper
6:30--Serve supper
7:30--Start getting the boys ready for bed
8:15--Help Barb decompress from her day
9:00--Pour a beer
9:05--Read, watch TV or whatever
10:30--Pop beer #2
10:35--Continue previous activity
12-ish--Go to bed

About once a week, I don't have errands to run or jobs to do, so I can spend a couple hours in the morning hanging out. On such lovely days, my job is only 11 or 12 hours long. Mostly, though, I'm looking at the 13 to 14-hour day, five days a week. Weekends are a little better, as Barb is around. But I'm still working, of course.

There is no such thing as a vacation with kids for the at-home parent. We may not be quite so constantly occupied with child care duties, but they're still required at all times. A lot of folks don't seem to understand how at-home parents can come home from vacation even more tired than when they left. Trust me: That's how it is. Every time.

Mind you, I'm not complaining about the job. It is, by far, the most challenging job I've ever done, and I can't imagine ever doing anything as draining and complicated. The stakes are higher than any regular occupation; our children are the product.

But it's a great gig. Even when I don't want to see the guys (I'm sure you might imagine at least one or two circumstances where that might be the case), their presence is an almost constant joy. Watching them grow up has been a great experience. But now it is time for me to move on.

I'll be spending the summer revving up my job hunt. Come fall, that search will become my main occupation. Max and Sam no longer need me around at all times. Indeed, many times they don't want me around. That's good. Kids need to grow up. And parents need to let them. Parenting is all about constant adjustments, and that's all this is, as well.

Seventy days and counting. Except that I don't have time to count. That'll have to wait for later.

Jon Worley can't remember what he did before Max was born.