I was reading a recent article at thedenverchannel.com about a self-described stay at home father who assaulted his wife and then started a fire in his home in an attempt to kill himself, his kids and the family pet.
First, let me start by saying that the average stay at home father has no thoughts of killing their kids. They have made a conscious decision to stay at home and provide care for their family.
Second, how can someone kill their own child? It is one thing to have a marriage end. It is quite another to take that failed marriage and turn the kids into some kind of scheme to get back at the ex.
As a stay at home father, I value my time with the kids. My youngest son is currently being home-schooled while we work within the law to facilitate his return to public school. Sure I get frustrated everyday with his behaviour, but that doesn’t mean I am going to kill him. Even on the most stressful days when I long for water cooler conversation with co-workers, I can look at him and know that what I am doing is the right thing.
After a period of time, I came to the realisation that I am doing what I was meant to do. I don’t know what that means, but I do know that I am at peace with being a stay at home father. I like to cook. I like being home when my kids get home from school and hearing about their days. I don’t like laundry, house cleaning or anything of that nature, but it comes with the job. (Much like doing structured queries across a database using perl. You don’t like it, but sometimes it has to be done..)
At any rate, it is my opinion that the person who would kill a child, let alone their own child to get back at an ex is nothing more than a coward. Doesn’t matter if it is a man or a woman. To kill a child because of how you feel about the former significant other is just plain cowardly.