Double Standard Stereotypes of Stay-At-Home Dads

Let me begin by giving you a description of the standard comments I hear when people know I’m a Stay-at-Home Dad.

“Why are you tired? You are at home and can take a nap whenever you want.”
“So what do you do during the day?”
“Why aren’t you working? Your wife should be at home not you.”
“What did you do between the different dates of employment?” (HR question)

Without fully addressing those yet, I find it amazing that the majority of the grief I get is from women in the workforce. Can anybody else see how the tables have turned? If those same statements were said by men to a stay-at-home mom, he would be labeled a male chauvinistic pig who doesn’t understand the work women do at home. Should a guy quip those lines to his wife, you can bet there will be friction in the marriage with a potential divorce on the horizon.

So why does it happen that Stay-At-Home Dads get such grief? Quite simply, it is based on the assumptions people make. Change is a constant and is also the number one thing people fight against. So preconceived notions are believed over the reality of a situation for a couple, this puts the individual speaking them to a couple in an awkward position and in danger of insulting the couple straining a friendship.

Reality dictates how a family must adapt to their situations. Being a Caucasian male in the workforce makes you the most expendable and the least protected class. In many cases, the wife has the more secure position and better or equal pay. As I will cover in another post, most couples are hard pressed to justify a second income outside of the home in this day and age. here are many reasons for the Dad to stay at home.

The same measure of respect that deservedly belongs to stay-at-home moms should be granted to stay-at-home dads as well. Sure there are bad apples in both bunches, but as a rule each group is an invaluable asset to the family.

I thank my Mom for being a stay-at-home Mom for the first 7 years of my life. I thank my Dad for showing me what a Man is when he chipped in and did the household chores when my Mom was at work.

-MatureKid