Why I'm the mean one

Back in the day when I was a little girl and dinosaurs still roamed the earth my mom was quite fond of using a certain threat for when my brothers and I misbehaved. It was the "WAIT UNTIL YOUR FATHER GETS HOME!" threat. Whatever we were doing we stopped immediately. See, whenever that threat was issued we knew that we had gone too far. We would sit quietly on the couch and wait for dad to get  home from work to see what our punishment would be. I think the waiting was probably far worse than the actual punishment was. 
Now that I have children of my own I'm finding things are a lot different. My husband leaves for work about the time the kids are waking up and during the school year (because our schedule is completely gone during summer)  at least two of the kids are asleep when he gets home. So you guessed it, that leaves me the not so coveted role of being the big meanie. I've even tried the 'wait till your father gets home' threat a few times and you know what I got in return? A blank stare, occasionally a snicker or two. I've been trying to make husband step up to the plate and discipline when he's home and usually it doesn't go so well and I end up having to take over. I've been assuming all along that it's because he isn't around much that the kids have a hard time taking him seriously. For years I have assumed this and apparently for years I have been wrong. For you see last night I discovered why the kids think I am the big meanie and dad is the good guy. Last night I sent husband into the living room where Sophie was happily camped out watching Noggin at a ridiculous hour to tell her to go to bed. He did tell her to turn off the television and go to bed, but then in a slightly quieter voice I heard him say, "hurry up before mom comes in here." Mystery solved. I'm thinking I might just have some plans for when he is off Sunday. Plans that involve me giving him a grocery list, three hungry, grumpy girls and sending him shopping. Without me. Muhahaha.....