Stay-at-home dad

This article or section is in the middle of an expansion or major revamping. You are welcome to assist in its construction by editing it as well. If this article has not been edited in several days, please remove this template. Please consider not tagging with a deletion tag unless the page has not been edited in several days or the page has no content at all. This article or section was last edited by Piotrus (Contribs • Log) 11 minutes ago.

The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page.

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2007)

A stay-at-home dad is a term used to describe a male parent who is the main caregiver of the children and the home. Alternative terms include stay at home father, house dad, househusband or homemaker.

Contents 1 Background 2 Mother's role in household 3 In Entertainment 3.1 Movies 3.1.1 Mr. Mom 3.2 Music 3.2.1 Lonestar 3.3 Novels 3.3.1 Diary of a Hapless Househusband 3.3.2 Housebroken: Confessions of a Stay-at-Home Dad 3.3.3 How Tough Could It Be? 3.4 Television 3.4.1 At Home Dad 4 United States Statistics 4.1 2008 4.2 2007 4.3 2006 4.4 2005 4.5 2004 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

Background

Traditional gender roles in World civilization usually see the private parenting responsibilities go to the mother or housewife, while the public social parenting responsibilities are carried out by the father.

There are several reasons why some families feel that it would be more beneficial for the father to be the primary care giver of the children, while the mother works out of the home. These reasons include, but are not limited to (in all scenarios we are to presume that the family did not wish to utilize daycare for one reason or another): The dad is out of work, or makes less money then the mother. The mother's job offers health benefits for the family whereas the father's does not. The father wishes to be the primary caregiver/stay-at-home dad. The mother desires to pursue her career. The father is able to work from home and still be the primary care giver of the family's children. The father works odd shifts while the mother has a typical nine to five work schedule. ^[1]

Single fathers as stay-at-home dads Increased divorce rates have also resulted in many more split families, and some fathers are choosing to or out of necessity have no choice but to be the main caregiver rather than the mother.^{[citation needed]} Some mothers desire to be free of the stigma and burden of taking care of their children after a divorce or separation and choose to allow the father to take primary custody of their children so that they can gain upward social mobility by being more available to their employer or their customers.

As recently as 25 years ago, such an arrangement with the father staying at home was uncommon in many parts of the world, with fathers having less contact with their children than mothers, privately. As the movement towards social acceptability in regards to males staying at home, the prevalence of stay-at-home dads is increasing and attitudes are changing.

Mother's role in household

In families with a stay-at-home father, the mother may have a full time job and share the child rearing with the father, who may also be a working parent. The mother may have a professional occupation as can the father. Household tasks are shared more than "traditional" Western roles might prescribe. Despite this history, stay-at-home fathers are becoming more widespread in much of the world.

In these arrangements, the father will share the household chores (cooking, cleaning, and laundry) and childrearing with the mother.

In Entertainment

Movies

Mr. Mom

The Michael Keaton movie Mr. Mom (1983) features one of the more famous portrayals of a stay-at-home dad. Many stay-at-home dads dislike being labeled Mr. Mom largely due to the bumbling nature of the title character, the implication that stay-at-home dads are maternal rather than paternal, and the general emasculating tone of such terminology. Many fathers feel that their contributions are as fathers, equal yet distinct from mothers' contributions.

Music

Lonestar

In 2004 country music group Lonestar released a song titled "Mr. Mom" which was a humorous take on the duties of a stay-at-home dad.

Novels

Diary of a Hapless Househusband

Published by Arrow Books Ltd. in London in August 2007, the Diary of a Hapless Househusband by Sam Holden^[2] is a comedic account of the trials of a stay-at-home dad. It has been described by Allison Pearson as 'a very very funny and often touching account of one man's struggle to run Planet Home'. It was followed up in September 2008 by a second novel titled: Growing Pains of a Hapless Househusband^[3] which was also published by Arrow Books Ltd.. As stated on his bibliographical note: "Sam Holden is the pen name of an author and journalist. He lives in Wiltshire with his wife and two children. His Hapless Househusband novels are partially based on his experience of (briefly) swapping roles with his wife."^[4]

Housebroken: Confessions of a Stay-at-Home Dad

The novel, by David Eddie recounts his evolution from bachelor to stay-at-home dad^[5].

How Tough Could It Be?

This novel, by Austin Murphy, describes his transformation from a writer for Sports Illustrated to stay-at-home dad. After his demanding career forced him to take a look at the role he was playing in his children's lives, he decided to switch jobs with his homemaker wife allowing her to pursue her career, thus making him the primary care giver for their two young children^[6].

Television

At Home Dad

At Home Dad is a Japanese terebi dorama, or sitcom, that tells the story of the Yamamuras, a typical white collar Japanese family. It spanned one series (12 episodes). The family moves into their new house next door to a family in which the husband stays home and takes care of the child and house. Shortly thereafter, Yamamura Kazuyuki, played by Hiroshi Abe, loses his job as a CM director of a major marketing firm and finds himself taking lessons from his neighbor on how to be a stay at home dad. This series may be particularly interesting to westerners because it depicts certain aspects of the social class structure and gender roles in Japan.

United States Statistics

2008

An estimated 140,000 married fathers worked in the home as their children's primary care givers while their wives worked outside of the home to provide for the family. This number is significantly less then the previous two years. ^[7]

2007

An estimated 159,000 married fathers, remained out of the work force to be the primary caregivers for their children while their wives worked outside of the home. This makes up approximately 2.7 % of the nation's stay-at-home parents. This number nearly triples the percentage from 1997, and has been consistently higher each year since 2005. ^[8]

2006

An estimated 143,000 married fathers remained out of the workforce for more than one year caring for their families, while their wives worked outside of the home. Children cared for by stay-at-home dads in this statistic are under the age of fifteen. These stay-at-home dads were caring for approximately 245,000 children. ^[9]

2005

An estimated 98,000 married fathers cared for their children in the home, for more than one year, while their wives worked outside of the home. Children cared for by stay-at-home dads in this statistic are under the age of fifteen. 63% had two or more children. ^[10]

2004

An estimated 105,000 married fathers, remained out of the workforce to be the primary caregivers for their children, while their wives worked outside of the home. Children cared for by stay-at-home dads in this statistic are under the age of fifteen. Stay-at-home dads cared for an estimated 189,000 children. ^[11]

In the statistics given for each particular year, the numbers are most likely higher because they do not account for stay-at-home dads who currently divorced.

See also

• Double burden
• Father
• Father's rights
• Homemaker
• Masculism
• Paternal bond
• Parental leave
• Paternity leave
• Sociology of fatherhood

References

External links

• AtHomeDad.org - Community and resources for involved dads
• Rebeldad.com - The stay-at-home dad revolution online
• Daddystayshome.com - The Stay/Work at Home Dad's Resource

• Is staying at home ruining my career? David Vernon , 2007 Reprint of article that appeared in Sunday Life Magazine entitled Man about the House, 31 January 2007.