Do Dads Even Have Guilt?

Thus far, I haven't gotten too much commentary from the dads of the world.  Where are they?  Do they talk?  I hear some of them want to, but then they retreat and go back to thinking about whatever dads think about.  Today that was confirmed for me that it's not too much.  In terms of guilt anyway.

It's riding on 11am at work and I hear a "Good Morning" from a fellow co-worker.  I'm thinking, "Morning?"  I've been up since 5:30am.  It is past morning and I'm ready for lunch.

I tell him "Good afternoon."

He retracts and says, "No, it's still morning."  Granted the clock definitely says AM on it, but it's definitely  lunch time and that indicates a PM to me.

We get into the discussion of why he's hooked on AM and I'm hooked on PM.  I tell him my kids get up early, so by this time for me it's PM.  He cringes and complains that he can't stand early morning wake ups with his kids, so they go to bed as late as possible.  Although, he doesn't like that either.

I concur that I can't stand early morning wake up's either.  But, I also like the quiet time of the night, so we put our kids to bed as early as possible.  We discuss which one is better.  He decides he likes our way, so he might try it so he can get a little time with the wifey.  Then he again realizes his kids may get up too early for him, so he's not sure which way he likes better.  We both agree neither one is ideal.

I say, "It's nice if the kids get up early since I can see them before work.  I get in an hour or more with them before I even head out the door."

He shows me his cringe again and says, "Who cares?"

Shocked, I say, "What?"

He says, "I was a stay at home dad for a number of years.  I've done my duty.  I don't need to see my kids before I go to work.  That just adds more work on top of my day and I see them enough already."

As I'm caught off guard by his statement, I'm overwhelmingly jealous by his attitude to just not give a hoot!  He knows he's a good dad.  He knows he puts in a lot with his kids.  He doesn't do anything to be a "bad dad".  He's got two huge pictures on his desk of his kids telling the world how much he loves them.  He talks about them frequently, as a matter of fact.  But, he doesn't always have to be "politically correct."  And he definitely doesn't portray any guilt of what he has done, or how he needs a life, and some peace in his day.  And if he can get it by not having the kids wake up an hour or two earlier, then he'll take it, and not feel guilty about it.

So, in my next lifetime, maybe I'll come back as a man!  I thought I'd want to be a cat and get to be opinionated and nobody cares because you're a cat.  But maybe that's being a man.  Cat/Man =  Guilt Free?  Same difference, until I hear otherwise.