My Week in Athens… Apr 25

Of course I have no memory of this, since my (strict) Greek father could never understand why one would want to go to another family’s house to sleep. But I digress…

So, when my sister suggested a sleepover last weekend, I jumped at it. Our sleepover was to include an afternoon in the city centre, a taverna nearby, a movie – and my 11month old nephew.

I must say, walking around Athens with a cute, blondish baby boy is good for the ego. My ego. The glances, the smiles, the ‘oooohs’ and ‘aaaaahs’ and looks of adoration (I’m assuming a lot, I know), made me reconsider my ‘no-child policy’. I mean, I never realized how much attention one cute kid could bring!

I also never realized that mothers and fathers (and pseudo-parents) really ‘check out’ each other – constantly. As in, is that guy as stressed as I am? Do I look older than him? Why is he carrying the kid that way? Is it obvious I don’t know what I’m doing?

Our sleepover was great fun. Laughing and playing and the odd bump on the head… The best part was waking up to my nephew sitting beside me, just waiting for me to wake up so we could start all over.

Being around kids makes me feel great – brings out the kid in me, as the cliché goes – and it’s true. Almost makes me want one. Almost.

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…