Anthony's Blog: Does this sound familiar?

Does this sound familiar to any of you? It's half term this week. My squeakers are 9 and 11 and I haven't really seen them properly for a couple of weeks - the result of a combination of their school trips, their weekend sporting activities and my general absence from home life during what seems to have been a particularly busy stretch in the office. We're looking forward to a few days together this coming week but, my goodness, it's been a struggle to get there. Working late into the night to clear my desk so I have a realistic prospect of not being glued to my blackberry while we try to enjoy some quality family time. Trying to organise my team at work and ensure clients have a clear line into the firm (that isn't through me) – all to achieve the same objective.

And then there's actually planning and organising what we are going to do during those few precious days. I honestly can't say I have contributed much to that process. My long suffering wife (herself a senior tax adviser) has been left to do the thinking there. The original plan was easy – camping with friends and their kids. My input would be limited to humping the gear from loft to boot on Friday night, feeding the satnav with directions to the preselected (not by me) campsite and transforming myself into weekend dad (shades, shorts, wallet – job done!) Then came the great British bank holiday spoiler... Potential for heavy rain. Plan A trashed, onto plan B and possibly plan C. All orchestrated with the poise of a prima ballerina and the precision of a five star general by my "never-ceases-to-amaze-me" missus. She's currently on a career break helping our eldest navigate school exams and the forthcoming transition to secondary school (an altogether different blog), but my point is, even if she were currently working, she would have taken the lion's share of the co-ordination of our "family" break, while I make arrangements allowing me to leave the office in the City on Friday night and return to it the following Thursday morning without having to anticipate complete carnage. This is our "division of labour".

It really ought not to be that difficult, but sometimes it just is. Of course there's always another way. I could resign myself to departing with a laptop strapped into the luggage. I could join the legions of other dads (and mums) you see in venues up and down the country, one eye on their progeny as they scale the climbing frame, the other scanning their mobile for urgent work texts. But, let's face it, that's hardly a winning combination is it? So, late night prep it is – for me in the office and my wife back at home. Fingers crossed for a bit of sunshine and that the Eurozone hangs together until the end of the week (at least!)

Anthony is married with 2 children and is a partner in a magic circle law firm.