Stay at home dads

Hi everyone,

Just wondering if anyone has experience of dads staying at home instead of mums and how common (or uncommon) this is??

Reason I ask is that I am going to be returning to work full-time when baby is 5 months and DP is going to be staying at home, and I was keen to see if anyone else was in this situation and how did DP/DH enjoy it?

I know there is at least one SAHD lurking out there, his nickname is rug_nz - hopefully he will spot this thread and be able to tell you about his experiences

I beat ya!

i think it was discussed prev and decided there wasnt enough interest/need/members

BSDH would love to stay home with Ella....and we would we didnt want more money coming in!!!

I think it is very special that a dad can stay home with his bubs....what a great way to bond and enjoy one another...why should it just be for mums!!!

my husband said he would like it but didnt think he would be able to handle it in the end...maybe we should try it??? maybe not, that would mean i would have to look for and get a job...eek!!!

Thanks all for your replies - appreciate it! I think my DP is a bit concerned that everything i.e. ante-natal coffee mornings, plunket groups are geared towards the woman staying at home, so we'll have to see how those go. Obviously I'll be doing all that while I'm off work so if we go to these things together, I guess everyone will get used to seeing a bloke there!

I wonder if I'll have to deal with any comments about going back to work when baby is still so young - I'm sure DP will get comments when he's out with bubs. I reckon he'll enjoy it much more than he thinks he will

I was brought up by a SAHD! And it was awesome!

Apart from being brought to mums work with marmite over my face, whatever I wanted to wear, the time my sister got her hair stuck in curling irons so he cut it off, when he hosed us down after pooing our nappies instead of cleaning our bums (no wipes left, so instead of using something else... )

My dad had an accident a few years before I was born and hasn't worked since, so it was a necessity. He was the coolest parent help on school trips (always bring his soft-top 4WD to impress my friends), used to take us to Macca's secretly every Friday.. I love it. I did, however resent my mum for leaving me so young and I struggled to bond with her fully, but now in later life I understand that she made a huge sacrifice for us (she says she would have loved nothing more than to stay home).

I guess that's the case with most parents today though, but back then it wasn't as common for both parents to be working. That's why there will be at least one of us at home, and seeing as DH earns about 10k more than I would IF I could find a job when I graduate, it's a no-brainer!