PEOPLE OF INTEREST
The
Mr. Mom
BY SUE-ELLEN SANDERS
PHOTO BY ROBERT P. DUDLEY
Sometimes Jeff Janocsko’s work day starts at 4 a.m. His two
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bosses are short and blond and keeping him hopping.
Kassia, who just turned 3, is definitely her daddy’s girl, at
least, until mommy comes home from work. And Joshua, well, at
8 months, he’s pretty content to eat, sleep and smile at anyone
who smiles at him first.
Every day is different in the Janocsko house, where stay-athome
dad Jeff Janocsko reigns supreme as Mr. Mom. “Let’s see,”
he says. “Monday is dance, Wednesday is story time at the
library, Thursday we go to the mall to walk or out strolling and
shopping along The Boulevard. And Friday is gymnastics. I’d go
crazy if I didn’t have a schedule.”
Yet crazy is far away from the description of the house where
Jeff raises his young children, with wife and partner Kathy Post
Janoscko, who runs her family-owned insurance agency, Post
Insurance, with the same smooth precision that Jeff runs the
house. Try these words instead: well-organized, mellow, comfortable,
hands-on and fun.
Yes, Jeff Janocsko is the fun dad and during the daytime hours,
he is also the primary caregiver for his children. His mathematical
background shines through even in his organizing system.
Many of the toys are stored in the garage and he rotates out three
or four at a time in the family room for Kassia to play with. “I
can’t handle 100 toys in the family room and she’d go crazy if she
had 100 toys to choose from every day. We’d spend all of our time
picking up the pieces.”
Of course, there’s also the Play Doh center on the porch, a large
plastic playhouse and Kassia’s own plastic Black & Decker work
bench, where she’s learned that girls can indeed do anything.
“It’s every dad’s dream that their daughters grow up to be
independent, can-do young ladies,” says Jeff. “Kassia helps me
around the house with the odds and ends. We change light bulbs
and even put dry wall up one time. She was standing and watching
me and asked if she could help. When Kathy got home, she
was white with plaster and happy as a clam.
At 3, Kassia knows what a bolt is, how to use pliers and screwdrivers
and she’s also very good at her numbers.
Jeff takes care of dinner, too, and calls that his biggest challenge.
”My only complaint is when Kathy is going to be late and
doesn’t call,” he says, only half in jest. “Sometimes I miss talking
about current events, instead of Disney movies. But how many
men get to stay home with two perfect children?”
“Kathy’s friends tell her all the time how lucky
she is, too; she hears the horror stories. We always
say, we’re both lucky. And really, when you crunch
the numbers, it makes sense. By the time we’d have
paid for child care, gas and lunches out, I’d be
working for a few months’ salary a year.”
Spoken like a true engineer.
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