Stay-at-home dad

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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, househusband or homemaker.

Contents

[edit] Background

A "stay-at-home dad" with his children.
A "stay-at-home dad" with his children.

Traditional gender roles in Western civilization gave the primary parent to the housewife, but increasing equality, especially since Women's suffrage in many places, has caused a reversal of these roles amongst some, allowing women's careers to take precedence in a marriage so they are the primary breadwinner of the family.

Increased divorce rates have also resulted in many more split families, and some fathers are choosing to be the main carer rather than the mother.[citation needed] Expanded gay rights has resulted in the increased prevalence of LGBT adoption, with some fathers in two-father families choosing to stay at home to look after their children while their partner goes to work.[citation needed]

As recently as 25 years ago, such an arrangement with the father staying at home was almost unknown in many places of the world, with traditionally fathers having less contact with their child than the mother, but prevalence is increasing and attitudes are changing. In some places, however, such as in the rural Canadian Prairie Provinces, the practice of women going to work while men stay at home has existed since the 1930s. Even earlier, Friedrich Engels described such households as existing in Yorkshire in 1844, due to certain economic conditions. Engels reported that the families in this situation were often very upset by it, one husband even using profanity and saying that he wished to have never been born.[citation needed]

[edit] Mother's role in household

In families with a stay-at-home dad who has a mother present, the mother usually has a full-time job and makes most of the income for her family. The "swapping" of roles works well for many families. The mother may have a professional occupation that requires substantial time at the office in exchange for the salary to support the family on one income. Household tasks may be shared more than "traditional" Western roles might prescribe. Despite this history, "stay-at-home dads" still aren't widespread in much of the world.

In these arrangements, the father will assume the majority of the household chores (cooking, cleaning, and laundry) and childrearing.

[edit] In fiction

[edit] 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 because of bumbling aspect of the father in the movie and the feeling that stay-at-home dads are trying to be a mother. Many feel that their contribution is as a father and that is just as important to children, but distinct from a mother's contribution.

A 2004 country song entitled "Mr. Mom" was released by the group, Lonestar.

[edit] Diary of a Hapless Househusband novel

Published in the United Kingdom in August 2007, the Diary of a Hapless Househusband by Sam Holden is a comic 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'. However, much like 'Mr Mom', some of the humour comes from the house-husband being inept and uncommitted to the role, a stereotype some stay-at-home dads may find out-dated. Also, the use of the word househusband is considered a tautology by some grammarians, because house comes from OE: hus, which is one of the same Germanic elements from which "husband" derives. Therefore, "househusband" analyzes as Gmc: *hus-hus-bond(i), making it redundant.

[edit] 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. 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 is a very funny and touching comedy that spans one series (12 episodes). This series is particularly interesting because of the social class structure and gender roles in Japan.

[edit] Johnny Test

In the animated series, Johnny Test, Johnny's father, Hugh Test, is a neat freak who keeps the house while his wife Lila works. He has a passion for cooking meatloaf, though he is not very good at it, as all his meatloafs don't taste very good.

[edit] Groups

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Please improve this article if you can. (March 2008)

In many parts of the U.S., "stay at home dads" have dads' playgroups available. These groups allow their children to do activities with children of other "stay-at-home dads". These groups help support the dads and encourage interaction with their children. Existing playgroups had already been created to benefit "stay-at-home moms" and their children. Many of these groups readily accept dads. There are national and local stay-at-home dad groups and e-mail lists.Still the number of stay at home dads is very small compared to stay at home moms.

[edit] References


[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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