Inside room, some mystical being ran around room telling all of mums that a ‘father-alone’ was out and about! Upon entering heads swiveled in my direction, a series of forces pushing bodies towards me and unwanted advice started to escape from mouths. Once past I could hear whisperings, stories being generated and past on; a fictional myth growing in reality to become truth in mind! I shut myself off, warded off numerous hands that where heading towards my sons cheeks like locusts, barged through with forced smiles and “no thanks”, and managed to get to water machine. I smiled politely to lady who showed me how to press button for hot water, grimaced when told that milk I had made was too hot (how did she know?) and nearly barked when asked “is wife in not well dear”!

These kindly mums, whose husbands obviously knew nothing about how to change a nappy or feed a baby his milk, had my son crying within five minutes. He doesn’t like attention in form of searching hands. He especially doesn’t like getting his cheek pinched or chin chucked! I felt like shouting “give him air” or wading in with elbows to rescue him but they were all so well-meaning, these poor mums! Needless to say that as my sons screaming and bawling intensified to maximum pitch mums turned to me as one as if to say “look at poor man, doesn’t know how to look after his baby”.

Naturally as they confirmed their belief that I was totally inept and useless, wandering hands gained purpose and started to lift my baby out of pram to offer him comfort – my son hates strangers holding him! Well, I made a run for it, I grabbed baby in mid-air, swiveled pram around on a sixpence, closed my eyes tight and charged for door, throwing aside mothers like pins at bowling alley!

I went to men’s toilet to change my son’s nappy! At least in sanctity within, nobody talked to me, no advice was freely given and no insects to ward off. Naturally, looks of sympathy and confusion were issued freely, stories would abound later as husbands rushed to tell their wives about “poor sad man with baby” – but who cares, just don’t talk to me about it.

I suppose all is not so bad! A new dimension opened up, one that it would be best if my wife knew nothing about! I have never in my life had so many young ladies (ones who wouldn’t know what inside of a baby changing room looked like) surrounding me; albeit they were cooing at my son but ……… something about single men with babies must be an attraction. Anyway, I always enjoyed their reaction when saying loudly, “ah, here’s my wife coming now”, desertion was abrupt and complete! I know how to handle that one; it’s rest that bothers me!

Education Credits

There are two credits available, Hope Credit and Lifetime Learning Credit, for people who pay higher education costs. The Hope Credit is for payment of first two years of tuition and related expenses for an eligible student for whom taxpayer claims an exemption on tax return. The Lifetime Learning Credit is available for all post-secondary education for an unlimited number of years. A taxpayer cannot claim both credits for same student in one year. For more information, see Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education.

Retirement Savings Contribution Credit

Eligible individuals may be able to claim a credit for a percentage of their qualified retirement savings contributions, such as contributions to a traditional or Roth IRA or salary reduction contributions to a SEP or SIMPLE plan. To be eligible, you must be at least age 18 at end of year and not a student or an individual for whom someone else claims a personal exemption. Also, your adjusted gross income (AGI) must be below a certain amount. For more information, see chapter four in Publication 590, Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs).