We are the sandwich generation.  On one level we may still have elderly parents to care for, and on another semi-dependent children.  Add grandchildren to that and maybe that makes us triple deckers.

As we transition from a busy working life into a busy freestyle format, how do we upskill our parenting/son/daughtering to keep us current in this sandwich environment?  Our children, after all, will choose which home we go into, and having seen a few that will have a critical impact on my future comfort level.  So after an incident last weekend I discovered three key steps that I need to take:

  • Take my phone off silent at nighttime
  • Get another, more reliable dog
  • Fix the doorbell

The result of the error of my ways was to leave Daughter No. 2 without a roof over her head on Friday night.  The first I knew of it was on Saturday morning when I checked Whatsapp to see her apology for the phone calls in the middle of the night – the key had snapped off in her own front door lock at 2am with her on the outside, and any other keys on the inside.  Luckily we live up the road, so she was able to pop around and ring, and ring and ring my phone.  To no effect.

We do still have one of those things called a house phone, although its whereabouts are uncertain, and ringing that managed to set the dogs barking.  Problem number 2, one of the dogs barks every night, for no discernible reason.  So got up, swore at the dogs, and went back to bed.

The doorbell – obviously – doesn’t work, that’s what we have dogs for after all.

The good news is that Daughter 2 found an attic in a friend’s house.  And by following the three rules above I will, de facto, become a better parent.

Now I just have to break the news to the dog.