Endzone

Our Family ( part 2)

A/N I will have more on this series where the kids are older. Sorry this is such a jumbled mess I suck at editing. Anyway Please like and comment ❤️

Travis stood in the kitchen, a battlefield of spilled juice, abandoned crayons, and a sticky, giggling Emily smeared with peanut butter. Across the room, Noah, a miniature version of his dad with the same mop of light brown hair, was perched on the couch, wielding a toy lightsaber and making the dramatic 'whooshing' noises that only a 5 year old could master.

Taylor was in Los Angeles, accepting an award and headlining a charity concert. He'd thought he'd be fine. He was wrong. Normally, 5-year-old Noah and 2-year-old Emily were well-behaved,  mannered children, especially when both parents or their nanny were present. However, these past few days, Travis had come to realize the truth behind Taylor's warnings about 'fun parent syndrome.' His playful antics had led the children to believe he lacked authority, rendering his attempts to establish discipline futile. They often didn't understand when he was serious. They think it's funny when he scolds them. He tried to maintain order. 

The past few days had been a whirlwind of impromptu dance parties, epic fort-building adventures, and an endless stream of 'just one more cookie' requests. Which was okay; if it wasn't at bedtime. the biggest struggle was always bedtime. The kids had embraced their inner chaos, testing his limits at every turn.

"Emily," he said, his voice laced with exasperation. "No more peanut butter on your face. It's bedtime."

Emily, however, had decided the kitchen floor was a giant canvas and was now using her fingers to paint a masterpiece of chocolate and sticky goo. Noah, who had somehow managed to climb onto the back of the couch, was now gleefully mimicking a Jedi Knight, swatting at imaginary enemies with his lightsaber.

"Noah, get down from there!"

Noah, oblivious to the danger, simply grinned and continued his sword fight with an imaginary Darth Vader.

Travis sighed. This was a disaster. He was supposed to be the disciplinarian, the one who enforced rules and boundaries. But the kids, they just found his sternness funny.

He tried again. "Emmy, please come over here, let's wash your face baby girl."

"No!" She giggled, her peanut butter covered hand reaching for a bowl of fruit.

Travis was about to lose it. This was turning into a showdown he couldn't win. He pictured Taylor back home, effortlessly calming the chaos with a gentle voice and a soothing touch. She had a way of Expertly wrangling the kiddos into their pajamas and tucking them into bed. He missed her already. But she deserved time out of the house.

Emily started crying out of no where as Travis cleaned her up. A tantrum was brewing. 

"What's wrong, Emmy?" Travis asked, his patience wearing thin. It was a long day.  

"Want Mommy!" she wailed.

"I know baby, mommy will be Home tomorrow."

Travis sighed. Taylor had been away for three days, and the children were clearly missing her. He understood why she had left with Emily being a better eater and sleeper now, he encouraged her to go and have a good time, but it was still difficult juggling two very energetic kids. He couldn't move as fast as he used to after retiring from the NFL.

As midnight approached, Travis was exhausted. The children were still awake, running around and making a mess in the playroom. He had tried everything he could think of, from bribing them with treats to threatening them with consequences, but nothing seemed to work.
Despair washed over him as he considered calling Taylor for help. He couldn't bear the thought of ruining her special night, even if he was at his wit's end.

Travis sighed. Trying again " it's bedtime! We've got to sleep so we can be super strong for tomorrow!" He stated firmly

"Daddy play with us!" Noah insisted, already pulling on Travis's sweatpants, demanding a game of 'kick the ball.'

He is currently questioning so much, his playful antics had backfired. While Taylor was often the one who enforced rules and bedtime routines, Travis had become the 'let's have a pillow fight' and 'let's build a fort' parent. Now, the consequence of those fun times was staring him in the face – two wide-eyed, sugar-crazed kids refusing to sleep.    The fun dad was currently the frustrated and exhausted dad. 

He tried everything. He read stories (with the occasional funny voice imitation that had them doubled over with laughter), he sang lullabies (which were more of a comedic rendition of Taylor Swift hits), and even resorted to whispering stories of 'the sleep fairy' (which backfired because they wanted to stay up to meet her).

Finally, exhausted, Travis called Taylor.

"Hey babe," he said, his voice defeated. "I think I'm officially outmatched. These little monsters won't go to sleep."

Taylor, despite being halfway through her hair and makeup routine, somehow managed to sound calm and reassuring. "Bedtime is hard. Just remember to be firm and consistent. It's okay to be be playful, but you need to also be a parent too." She hated that he was doubting himself this much.  

"You need to set boundaries, be firm. It's all about routine, consistency, and a whole lot of patience. You're better at this than you think." Travis listened intently and followed her instructions

It was more a moment of needed encouragement than a revelation, but it helped. Travis put down the phone and sat by the edge of Emily's little toddler bed, his voice firm but gentle. "Emmy, I love playing with you, but it's bedtime now. And tomorrow, we're going to play even more, but for now, it's time to sleep."

He then repeated the same to Noah, adding a touch of seriousness to his tone. To his surprise, they actually quieted down. He kissed them goodnight, feeling a strange sense of accomplishment. Maybe the whole 'fun parent' thing wasn't entirely bad. He just needed to learn to balance it with the 'parent' parent.

He checked on the kids one more time before retreating to his & Taylor's bedroom. The house was finally silent. He sent Taylor a quick text update, assuming she can't call now. he smiled at the immediate response, He could almost hear Taylor's voice in his head as he read the texts:

See, honey, I told you you could do it. ❤️

I'll be home soon, I love and miss you all 😘 

He chuckled, a smile creeping across his face. He might be the fun parent, but he was also the 'I can handle anything' parent, thanks to Taylor's guidance and, of course, the love for his two little monsters.

The chaos, the laughter, the endless demands for attention, it was all worth it. He knew like every parent he still had a lot to learn, but he was determined to be the best dad (and husband) he could be.