Stay at Home Full Time Daddy?
Submitted by MarkTheRealtor on February 5, 2009 - 1:00pm.
We have just hit a brick wall in our household. We have a 7 year old in second grade, a 2 year old and another child who just turned 4 (both of whom were home with a nanny during the day while my wife and I worked.)
My wife has a fantastic job (making a fab salary) and I have been doing well in real estate until this past year. It now looks like we can no longer afford the nanny which means I will be home with the two littlest during the day and picking our 7 year old up when she gets out of school. I am weighing all of the work from home options, but at the same time considering being the full time stay at home dad.
It is a dilemna. Any comments?
Re: Stay at Home Full Time Daddy?
I'm a stay-at-home dad too with a very young son (my first). Like Steely Dad I've begun to blog about it (and a few other things) - I really just wanted to share what I learn with others - and have a bit of a rant about things that I love, hate or am indifferent about. Check it out... http://snowballs-guide-to-hell.blogspot.com/ It would be great to have some other dads following and commenting on it.
@Steely Dad - Thanks for posting your site - I'm really enjoying reading it. I'll add it to my reading list!
Re: Stay at Home Full Time Daddy?
I'm a full-time stay-at-home dad (wow...what a title) and I can tell you that I LOVE IT! I also blog about my experiences at http://www.steelydad.com. Check it out. I've just started the blog so any input you might have would be appreciated. In any case, much like what Kristie mentioned, even though my kids are young (3 and 1) I can foresee that these will truly be the best years of my life. I get to be fully involved in my kids' growth and learning, their happiness and enjoyment. That's not to say it's always rosey. It is absolutely the toughest job I've ever had as it requires zen-like patience, which in the past was not always a strong suit for me. But like my kids, I have grown and matured and improved as a person. It's definitely not for every man (or woman for that matter) but if you approach it with the right attitude, to enjoy and learn rather than simply "survive" you will do great. Good luck and drop me a line if you'd like to chat.
Re: Stay at Home Full Time Daddy?
I am not a Stay at Home Dad (SAHD) but as a new father of twins, I've been having the same thoughts lately. I recently blogged about some of my thoughts on the issue on my site newdaddychronicles.com. Here is the url to the post: http://tinyurl.com/cedyjp
I came across an interesting financial analysis which helped put it into perspective. This is still very much something I am considering, so I've got lots of SAHD online resources bookmarked just in case. Here are a few of the blogs and communities out there that I was able to find:
http://dadstayshome.com/
http://www.athomedad.org/
http://www.angelfire.com/zine2/athomedad/index.blog
http://www.rebeldad.com/index.html
This should help you get a vibe for what support is available to you as well as an idea of the resources that are out there. There are also some great articles I've found that have been helpful to my wife and I in considering the options. For the sake of not cluttering your comments, feel free to contact me if you'd like to touch base. You can email me at newdaddychronicles@gmail.com
Re: Stay at Home Full Time Daddy?
thanks for the info - very helpful to know! glad to know that there are other dads out there in my situation. And I'm sure there's going to be a lot more dads staying home, at least part-time, during these economic times.
Re: Stay at Home Full Time Daddy?
My hubby stayed home for 3 years when our kids were much younger. He was the full-time stay at home dad who took care of the kids, kept the house clean, made dinner, and did everything else that needed to be done during the day. My house was immaculate, the kids were happy and our household ran well that way.
Unfortunately we caved to parental pressure cause "husband's" should be working. Well he was working--probably harder than I. Biggest mistake we made was sending him back to the work force. We are now trying to build my current business up so that he can come home again.
When you ask my hubby how it was those years home with the kids, he will tell you it was the greatest years of his life. It can be for you too. You will get to see things and do things with your kids that most dads never get to do. You will also be able to develop an incredible bond with your kids because you will be there 24/7.
I wish you much luck in your new endeavor. Taking care of your kids is the most rewarding job you will ever have.
If, by any chance, you'd be interested in promoting wonderful, educational children's books to the school and library market and online, I have a great home business for you. Email me if you'd like details.
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