雙語 ● 父親的職責(zé) Fathers Have a Unique Job

父親的職責(zé) Fathers Have a Unique Job

◎ Debbie Farmer

If parents had job descriptions mine would read: organize bills, playmates, laundry, meals, laundry, carpool, laundry, snacks, outings and shopping, and laundry.

如果為人父母有職務(wù)簡述的話，我的“職務(wù)簡述”將會包括如下內(nèi)容：管理賬單、和孩子們玩耍、洗衣、做飯、洗衣、安排與人合伙用車、洗衣、準備小吃、安排短途旅游、購物、洗衣。

The only thing on my husband’s description would be the word “fun” written in big red letters along the top. Although he is a selfless caregiver and provider, our children think of him more as a combination of a jungle gym and bozo[22] and clown.

在我丈夫的“職務(wù)簡述”上，唯一的詞就是上端兩個紅色大字——“樂子”。盡管他無私地給予孩子們百般關(guān)愛，盡其所能為他們提供所需，更多的時候還被孩子們看作攀緣游戲架、大傻瓜和小丑的三合一。

Our parenting styles compliment each other. His style is a nonstop adventure where no one has to worry about washing their hands, eating vegetables, or getting cavities. My style is similar to Mussolini. I’m too busy worrying to be fun. Besides, every time I try, I am constantly outdone by my husband.

我們倆為人父母的風(fēng)格是互補的。他的風(fēng)格是持續(xù)不斷地探險，在這個過程中，沒有人需要操心孩子是不是洗手了，是不是吃蔬菜了，或者會不會長蛀牙。我的風(fēng)格則類似墨索里尼的執(zhí)政風(fēng)格。我太忙了，操心這兒操心那兒，哪還顧得上找什么樂子。再者，每次我試圖逗孩子們開心時，總是被我丈夫比下去。

I bought my children bubble gum flavored toothpaste and I taught them how to brush their teeth in tiny circles so they wouldn’t get cavities. They thought it was neat until my husband taught them how to rinse[23] by spitting out water between their two front teeth like a fountain.

我給孩子們買來帶泡泡糖香味的牙膏，教他們?nèi)绾斡醚浪⑥D(zhuǎn)圈兒刷牙，以免得蛀牙。他們認為那樣刷牙很好玩，直到有一天我先生教他們?nèi)绾问凇獜膬深w門牙之間把水像噴泉一樣噴出來，他們認為這才叫做好玩。無可替代

I took the children on a walk in the woods, and after two hours, I managed to corral[24] a slow ladybug into my son’s insect cage. I was “cool” until their father came home, spent two minutes in the backyard, and captured a beetle the size of a Chihuahua.

我?guī)Ш⒆觽兊叫淞掷锶ド⒉剑?個小時后，我好不容易才逮住一只遲鈍的瓢蟲放進我兒子的蟲籠里。在他們眼里，我已經(jīng)夠“酷”了，直到他們的父親回家，在后院里只花了2分鐘，便捕獲了一只有吉娃娃小狗那么大的甲蟲！

I try to tell myself I am a good parent even if my husband does things I can’t do. I can make sure my children are safe, warm, and dry. I’ll stand in line for five hours so the children can see Santa at the mall or be first in line to see the latest Disney movie. But I can’t wire the VCR so my children can watch their favorite video.

我勸慰自己說我是個好媽媽，盡管我先生能做的事情我做不了。我可以確保孩子們是安全的、暖和的、干干爽爽的。我可以排隊等5個小時，讓孩子們在大商場里看到圣誕老人——或者第一個排隊讓孩子們看最新的迪斯尼影片。但是我不會給錄像機接上電線，讓孩子們可以看他們喜歡的錄像。

I can carry my children in my arms when they are tired, tuck them into bed, and kiss them goodnight. But I can’t flip them upside down so they can walk on the ceiling or prop them on my shoulders so they can see the moths flying inside of the light fixture.

當孩子們玩累時，我可以把他們抱在懷里，放在床上，親吻他們，把他們送入夢鄉(xiāng)。但是我無法讓他們頭沖下，那樣他們可以腳踏天花板漫步；或者把他們扛在我的肩膀上，讓他們看飛蛾如何在燈具里漂亮地飛舞。

I can take them to doctor appointments, scout meetings, or field trips to the aquarium, but I’ll never go into the wilderness, skewer[25] a worm on a hook, reel in a fish, and cook it over an open flame on a piece of tin foil.

我可以帶他們?nèi)タ瘁t(yī)生，參加童子軍集會，或者帶他們參觀水族館，但是我永遠也不會進入荒郊野地，在魚鉤上掛上蟲餌，釣上一條魚，然后把魚用錫紙包起來，在明火上烤著吃。

I’ll even sit in the first row of every Little League game and cheer until my throat is sore and my tonsils are raw, but I’ll never teach my son how to hit a home run or slide into first base.

我甚至可以出席每一場少年棒球聯(lián)合會的比賽，坐在第一排為他們吶喊助威，直到我的嗓子喊疼了，我的扁桃體發(fā)炎了，但是我永遠無法教我的兒子如何打一個本壘打，或者如何巧妙地進入一壘的位置。

As a mother I can do a lot of things for my children, but no matter how hard I try—I can never be their father.

作為一個母親，我可以為我的孩子們做許多事情，但是不管我怎樣努力——我永遠成為不了他們的父親。

超多雙語閱讀，盡在聽力課堂