LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Musings from a Lamorin-Dad


Paul Greenstone is an Orinda stay-at-home dad, photographer, writer and runs social media for executives and companies from his home. You can reach him at paulgreenstone@me.com and follow him on Twitter @paulgreenstone.

Before I had kids, friends who had children told me time flies once you have them. I'd nod, smile and think: "Sure. Whatever." But next week my son will turn 7, and you know what I'm thinking? "Time sure has flown."

Twelve years ago, I was living in Los Angeles where I managed actors, writers and directors, and produced some films. Life was good but far from great - until I was set up on a blind date with an attorney in San Francisco. Life got great and in 2006, Naomi and I got married and San Francisco became my home.

When we had our son, David, Naomi and I decided I'd be a stay-at-home dad, which was both exciting and incredibly scary. I shut down my company and we moved to the East Bay. (Everyone moves out of SF when they have a kid, right?)

Naomi joined a mom's group, I became a playgroup leader, I took David to music and Gymboree classes, book readings at the library. I'd get looks of: "Oh, the daddy's spending some quality time with his child," and too many (seven!) comments about how cute my grandson was. Harrumph?!

It was few and far between when I'd meet another stay-at-home-dad. But on the "plus" side, thanks to my new mommy friends, I knew more about breastfeeding, nap schedules and parenting techniques than most of my guy friends.

In 2013, for various reasons, we decided to move and found our "forever home" in Orinda. Naomi joined Lamorinda Moms and subset groups like, get this, Moms Who Are Lawyers and Moms Who Are Employment Lawyers. Amazing! I met a number of other stay-at-home-dads, continued as a playgroup leader and took David to swim classes. (Swimming's a big freakin' deal in Lamorinda!)

And David is now a first-grader at Glorietta Elementary School where he enjoys the daily meditation and/or yoga sessions after recess. (What?!)

When I think about what David is doing now, downward dog deep breathing aside, and what we get to experience with him in the future, the tick of the clock doesn't seem to matter as much anymore.