In our jobs and in our lives we all have specific duties and responsibilities. Many we are proud of, some we just have to do. We all want to feel important and feel like our duties really matter. Obviously some matter more than others, but when we have children our duties and responsibilities change. Some of those changes are basic, we take care of them, make sure they have the necessities to live happy, healthy lives. But sometimes the jobs our children give us makes me wonder, when did it come to this?

I've had many of those moments in the 4 years I've been a parent. I'm the monster protection, the comforter and the pillow for nap time. I'm the horse, the wrestling partner and the answer man. But recently my oldest gave me a new job that left me laughing.

We were playing in the living room, the boys were having fun with their train sets and I was watching from the couch. Aidan stopped for a moment and collected the three train engines he was playing with and brought them over to me.

"Dad," he said, "Can you hold these?"
"Of course," I said while holding out my hands to collect the engines. His smile grew and he looked almost relieved.
"Thanks Dad," he replied. "Because I have to scratch my butt!" And he did. For at least 30 seconds. All while I held the trains and tried not to laugh out loud too much. When he was finished he thanked me again and gathered up his toys, going back to playing on the floor.

Only after all that did I realize that the job he gave me was one of the most important one's I've ever had. I wasn't just a custodian of toys for a good scratch, but i was the trusted bank for the toys he didn't want swiped while he was at his most vulnerable.

I'm not sure I'll put it on my resume though.