The top 5 things moms wished dads knew: SouthFlorida.com

While recently talking with a couple moms I know, the conversation turned to funny things their husbands had done while taking care of the kids. I was embarrassed to admit that, as a stay-at-home dad, I had pulled a few of these myself.
As the list grew longer - and my face grew redder - I finally had to interrupt and ask, "So, what one thing do you wish dad knew that would make your life easier?"
Four cups of coffee later, I folded up my notebook and dashed home to compose an e-mail asking the same question. I sent it to a dozen moms of various ages and all walks of life and asked them to consider forwarding it to anyone else that they thought might have an opinion.
I was amazed at the results - almost 100 replies!
Even more surprising was the lack of diversity in their answers. Seems like most moms have a pretty short list of things they wished daddy knew (whew!), and the top five are almost always the same...

5. Moms get tired too! If you're paying attention, you'll probably notice when Mom needs a break: lots of heavy sighs, being quiet and withdrawn, that ladle hitting you on the back of the head...
A lot of the time, moms need permission to care for themselves. So just having hubby say, "Baby, let me put the kids to bed," can really fill her love tank. Plus, with all the bedtime stories, costume changes and "one more kisses," bedtime is a great time for dads to deepen their relationship with their children.
Want to win some big points with Mommy? Jump in and offer help without her having to ask. Every once in a while, offer to take the kids someplace and suggest she go have a cup of coffee and relax. Instead of asking what you could do to help, pick something, and start doing it.

4. If you have something nice to say...
Say it out loud...and in front of the kids! Letting the children know how much Mommy does makes her feel appreciated in a whole new way.
Men who truly appreciate what a mom does (whether she's a working mom or a stay-at-home mom) will find that their partners are more willing to uphold that role without becoming bitter and, in turn, will probably find the joy of a spouse who knows the joy of being appreciated.
Face it, guys; we love to be praised and told how great we're doing, yet many times we forget to let the mothers of our children know that they are doing a fantastic job. Never pass up a chance to tell her how amazing she is.
It's also a great example to your little ones!

3. Play!
That's right. Get down there on the floor and stack blocks! Race Hot Wheels across the kitchen floor...you know you want to! Play hide-and-seek or tag, or put on raincoats and go play in the rain (just make sure to clean up afterward).
Moms love to see their men interacting with their babies. Plus, you might be amazed to find that an hour of watching you playing on the floor and making silly noise is a major turn-on for her! Don't ask; I don't know why.

2. Keep the tanks full.
One mom replied, "Seems whenever I walk in, the kids are always hungry."
So my advice is to ask the kids if they're hungry. The smart - or, more likely, experienced - dad will ask and ask often.
Don't wait for them to tell you because they won't until they're at a crisis level. Kids aren't any fun when they're really, really hungry, and a house full of little grouches will ruin mom's free time.
This isn't rocket science either. Boil some mac-n-cheese and grill some hot dogs, or if you really can't find your way around the kitchen, nuke a couple of healthy TV dinners and serve 'em up. A stack of paper plates and some plastic silverware will make cleanup a snap!
Which leads us to the No. 1 response (by far)...

1. A clean house trumps all!
Overwhelmingly, moms said that coming home to a clean house is the biggie!
One mom said, "My most favorite thing is that when I am gone for the weekend (after making sure the house is spotless) I come back to my clean and tidy home. It is a blessing!"
The secret to keeping the place clean is the same as making sure your baby doesn't swallow a power tool...constant vigilance! Don't wait until an hour before mom gets home to start; you won't even have time to hire the backhoe.
Get in the habit of cleaning up every little mess as soon as you see it, wiping off the counter after every drip and heading for the laundry basket with every tossed sock.
This is a good practice to remember not only when mom is away, but for every day.

Perry P. Perkins is a stay-at-home dad who lives with his wife, Victoria, and their 1-year-old daughter, Grace.