Single Dad's on Spring Break

Dating Dad, Brian Gallagher tells us what we should expect from dad's without their kids on spring break.

Spring Break (or any other long weekend)
With the local spring break for schools kicking off this weekend Ifigured I'd drop some knowledge about a dating dad and his possiblefree week.  Spring break, Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas Break oreven the weeks in the summer when a dating dad is sans kids seems likethe best time for you to get some quality time with him.  It wouldseem like this would be a perfect time for late dinners, long lunches,a trip out of town or even a sleep over or two.  Before you startplanning all of that I would warn you about 'Dating Dad Reversion'.
'Dating Dad Reversion' is not a difficult concept to grasp once youunderstand the causes.  The cause is simple: dating dad has a lot ofresponsibility to his kids ALL OF THE TIME with sometimes no break.Dads don't handle this 24/7 pressure the same way that single moms do.Single moms often have support networks of other moms and friendsthat they can be emotional with and talk about the stresses of singlemomdom.  Dating dads tend to carry this all on their backs, bythemselves, all the time, like a big dope.  So what happens?  DatingDad Reversion...he reverts back to the time before he was a dad whenthe kids are gone.  He gets all excited about the free week(end)without the kids.  He makes plans, he talks about the cool stuff hegets to finally do, he talks about doing things with you and it is allvery radical (See?  Reverted back to the 80s).  You get excited, ourfriends get excited and it seems like it is going to be Spring Breakfor the dating dad.  Then the other half of the reversionhappens...nothing.
The reality of what we want to do and what we end up doing is verydifferent.  We need some time to do nothing.  Really nothing.  Likesit down and not eat, shower, move for a day or two.  Having noresponsibility to anyone is what we need for a day or two just toremember what it is like to not have to be on the move constantly.The stress on single parents can be overwhelming and the best thingthat you can do is to allow the Dating Dad Reversion to occur for aday or two.  Please, don't pressure the guy, don't hold him to thegrand plans and just let him be.  If it means sitting beside him inhis filth for an evening, so be it.  It would mean a lot if he couldsit still and just breathe.
Of course if it is day three of him sitting on the couch you can feelfree to suggest he shower.