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===Industrialization (1800-1900)===
===Industrialization (1800-1900)===
The [[Industrial Revolution]] led to extensive mechanization, which shifted home manufacturing to large-scale factory production. As this rapid transition took place, families lost many of their production functions. Instead, family members had to work outside the home to earn enough. As a result, husbands and wives began to operate in separate spheres of activity. The husband became the "breadwinner" by going out and working, while the wife stayed home and took care of the family.<ref>{{cite book|last=Skolnick|first=A.|title=Embattled paradise: The American family in an age of uncertainty|publisher=Basic Books|location=New York|date=1991}}</ref>
The [[Industrial Revolution]] led to extensive mechanization, which shifted home manufacturing to large-scale factory production. As this rapid transition took place, families lost many of their production functions. Instead, family members had to work outside the home to earn enough. As a result, husbands and wives began operating in separate spheres of activity. The husband became the "breadwinner" by going out and working, while the wife stayed home and took care of the family.<ref>{{cite book|last=Skolnick|first=A.|title=Embattled paradise: The American family in an age of uncertainty|publisher=Basic Books|location=New York|date=1991}}</ref>


==Increase in popularity==
==Increase in popularity==

Revision as of 14:00, 23 July 2009

A stay-at-home dad with his children.

A stay-at-home dad (alternatively, stay at home father, house dad, SAHD or househusband) is a term used to describe a male parent who is the main caregiver of the children and is the homemaker of the household.

Evolution of family roles

Colonial families

In the colonial United States, the nuclear family happened to be the most common family form. Most families typically consisted of five or more children initially, but because of high infant mortality rates, only a few of those children survived adolescence.[1] Additionally, colonial families existed to perform six main functions: as a self-sufficient business, as a school, as a vocational institute, as a church, as a house of correction, and as a welfare institution.[2]

African-Americans in colonial times

The first African Americans to reach America were brought over as initially as indentured servants, but instead they became slaves, and by the nineteenth century, slave trade was a thriving business. Typical families consisted of one or two children and women were primarily the head of the families, either because the fathers had died or had been separated from the family[3] African American women experienced what came to be known as the "double day," a full day of domestic chores plus a full day of work outside the home.[4]

Industrialization (1800-1900)

The Industrial Revolution led to extensive mechanization, which shifted home manufacturing to large-scale factory production. As this rapid transition took place, families lost many of their production functions. Instead, family members had to work outside the home to earn enough. As a result, husbands and wives began operating in separate spheres of activity. The husband became the "breadwinner" by going out and working, while the wife stayed home and took care of the family.[5]

Increase in popularity

Stay at home dads are seen in increasing numbers in Western culture (especially Canada and the northern U.S.), since the late 20th century. In developed East Asian nations such as Japan and South Korea this practice is less common.

There are several reasons why there has been an increase in househusbands over the past few years.

  • Disappearance of the types of white-collar jobs that men had been traditionally trained for. A great many laid-off middle-aged men have become essentially unemployable, thereby causing a role reversal for economic reasons.
  • Women are progressing into higher paying jobs. There are now financial ramifications in deciding which parent is to become the stay-at-home parent. In cases where the woman is the higher-paid parent, it makes more economic sense for her to continue to work while the man stays home.
  • The idea of fixed gender roles has become less prominent in the Western world of the recent years, allowing men to make their own choice of career, regardless of what used to be a requirement for them.
  • The men who choose this role may do so because they enjoy being an active part of their children's lives and do not want to be away from the family as much as their fathers may have been. Families vary widely in terms of how household chores are divided.
  • The rising number of single fathers and gay couples raising children mean that there is no potential stay-at-home mother.
  • With the growth of telecommuting, many men are able to work from home and be full-time child caretakers at the same time.
  • There are fewer restrictions on what constitutes a family.
  • More career and lifestyle options are accepted and prevalent in American society.

Reasons for stay-at-home dads vs. housewives

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):[6]

  • The dad is out of work, or makes less money than the mother.[7]
  • The mother's job offers health benefits for the family whereas the father's does not.[8]}
  • The father wishes to be the primary caregiver/stay-at-home dad.[9]
  • The mother desires to pursue her career.[10]
Of the 187 participants at Fortune Magazine's Most Powerful Women in the Business Summit, 1/3 of the women's husbands were stay-at-home dads.[11]
  • The father is able to work from home and still be the primary care giver of the family's children.[12]}
  • The father works odd shifts while the mother has a typical nine to five work schedule.[13]

Some retired males who marry a younger woman decide to become a stay-at-home dad while the wife works because they want a "second chance" to watch a child grow up in a second or third marriage.[14]

Stereotypes/Costs

Depending on the country or region in which a stay-at-home dad lives, he might find more or less social support for his decision. In some regions where traditional roles prevail, a stay-at-home dad might be shunned by stay-at-home mom peer groups. In order to find support for their choice, these men have created and joined many support networks.[15]

However, despite the gains in acceptance of the role of househusband, there are still many men who are trying to find acceptance in this role. Many men worry about loosing their business skills and "professional place in line."[14] There is a common misconception that stay-at-home dad's cannot get a job and therefore must rewrite the typical family roles, forcing the wife into the workforce. In actuality however, many stay-at-home dad's choose this role for one of many reasons.[16]

One 2002 study suggested stay-at-home dads may face a higher risk of heart disease.[17] The reasons for the alleged health risk, however, are not specified.

The role of stay-at-home dad is difficult for men who feel like they have no choice. It is hard for these men to adapt from being a financial provider in the family to being a homemaker. The men who willingly choose to become a stay-at-home dad are much more satisfied with their role in the family.[14]

Benefits

For the child

The bond between father and child is just as, if not more, important as the mother's in the overall social and emotional development of a child. There have been many studies done which suggest the importance of the paternal role in a child's life and benefits of the stay-at-home dad.{[18]

  • Dr. Kyle D. Pruett found that infants between 7–30 months respond more favorably to being picked up by their fathers.[19]
  • Studies show that during the first five years of a child's life, the father's role is more influential than the mother's in how the child learns to manage his/her body, navigate social circumstances, and play.[20]
  • In a 1996 study by McGill University they found the "single most important childhood factor in developing empathy is paternal involvement in childcare".[19] The study further concluded that fathers who spent time alone bonding with their children, more than twice a week, brought up the most compassionate adults.[19]
  • Robert Frank, a professor of child development at Oakton Community College in Illinois conducted a study comparing households with a stay-at-home dad and households who with a stay-at-home mom. His study concluded that women were still able to form a strong bond with their children despite working full-time outside of the home. Full time working women were also more engaged with their children on a day to day basis then working fathers were. His study concluded that in a family with a stay-at-home dad arrangement, the maternal and paternal influences are equally strong. This contrasts with the more traditional family structure where the father works out of the home and the mother stays home with the children. In this type of arrangement, the mother's influence is extremely strong, whereas the father's is minimal. In his study he found that both parents play an equal role in a child's development, but the stay-at-home dad arrangement is the most beneficial for the child.[21]

For the mother

The stay-at-home dad arrangement allows the mother to work without having to deal with daycare or finding a nanny, which can be extremely stressful. This arrangement also ensures that the families' values are being upheld and instilled in the children.[19]

Appearances in entertainment

The most important way for the stay-at-home dad to become an acceptable practice in life, is to see it communicated worldwide through celebrities and role models. The following section provides one with examples from film, radio, literature and television, in which the stay-at-home dad is portrayed. These appearances in entertainment also play in to some of the stereotypes associated with the role of stay-at-home dad.


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.[citation needed]

Daddy Day Care

The 2003 Movie Daddy Day Care starring Eddie Murphy, Jeff Garlin, and Steve Zahn, humorously chronicles the lives of two men who get laid off, cannot find new jobs and are forced to become stay-at-home dads. With no future employment on the horizon, they decide to begin a daycare business, demonstrating their unconventional child care techniques.[22]

Mighty Ducks

A film not known for its stay-at-home dad message carries many undertones that meet the requirements. Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez)loses his job and is forced into community service, where he ends up coaching a peewee hockey team. Though not the actual father of any of the children on the team he becomes a father figure to many of the players. Most notably the character Charlie Conway (Joshua Jackson). Conway's father is no longer involved in his life and his mother works full time to support them. Bombay becomes his stay-at-home dad. As he is not working( he doesn't get paid for coaching), he spends his time outside of coaching the team helping Charlie with the daily obstacles that occur in a young boys life. Bombay clearly cares about Charlie and spends the film shaping him into a leader and a good man. This is seen throughout the trilogy of films. Most importantly though Bombay's character displays ways in which you can still be seen as a man in society without being the breadwinner. The clearest example is through coaching and being involved in the child's athletic life. This shows examples of how a father can be the care giver without it meaning that he is home washing dishes and knitting, or whatever other stereotypical thoughts accompany being a stay-at-home dad in today's society. This is briefly touched upon in the Blue-ray commentary of the movie.

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. Initially, the father was excited to live the "life of luxury," taking long naps and watching tv. He soon learns that when he is not caring for the infant by watching repeat Barney episodes and up extremely early for feedings, that he is responsible for rides to and from practices, attending the Boy Scout and PTA meetings, and also cooking dinner. By the end of his first week at home, the dad is in bed, reading classifieds in hopes of getting back to work immediately.[citation needed]

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[23] 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[24] 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."[25]

Housebroken: Confessions of a Stay-at-Home Dad

The novel, by David Eddie recounts his evolution from bachelor to stay-at-home dad.[26]

How Tough Could It Be?

This novel, written 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.[27]

Books

Stay-at-Home Dad's: The Essential Guide to Creating the New Family

Libby Gill takes a look at how a family should go about making use of the stay-at-home dad arrangement. The book discusses relevant issues such as finances, overcoming stereotypes, mother and father parenting styles, sexual issues, as well as tips for successful role reversal.[26]

The Daddy Shift: How Stay at Home Dads, Breadwinning Moms and Shared Parenting are Transforming the American Family

This book by Jeremy Adam Smith was published in 2009 and looks at the way the American family was changed. The book reveals how taking up the mother’s traditional role affects a father’s relationship with his partner, children, and extended family, and what stay-at-home fatherhood means for the larger society. The book explores stay-at-home dads from every part of the country, from various socioeconomic levels and different races.[27]

Fatherneed: Why Father Care is as Essential as Mother Care for Your Child

This book by Kyle D. Pruett was published in 2000. It examines the pivotal role a father's care has on a child's development, dismissing the notion that only mothers can be nurturers.[28]

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.[citation needed]

Daddio

Daddio was a short lived television series that aired in March 2000 on ABC. It chronicled the life of a stay-at-home dad, his lawyer wife, and their two kids.[citation needed]

Comics

Adam is a syndicated comic strip created by Brian Basset. It follows the life of Adam Newman, a stay-at-home dad, as he juggles his family and career.[citation needed]

United States statistics

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.[citation needed]

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. [28]

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. [29]

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. [30]

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. [31]

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. [32]

See also

References

  1. ^ Goode, W.J. (1963). World revolution and family patterns. New York: Free Press.
  2. ^ Demos, J. (1970). A little commonwealth: Family life in Plymouth colony. New York: Oxford University Press.
  3. ^ Gutman, H. G. 1983. Persistent myths about the Afro-American family. In The American family in socio-historical perspective, 3rd ed., ed M. Gordon, 459-81. New York: St. Martin's.
  4. ^ Jones, J. (1985). Labor of love, labor of sorrow: Black women, work and the family from slavery to the present. New York: Basic Books.
  5. ^ Skolnick, A. (1991). Embattled paradise: The American family in an age of uncertainty. New York: Basic Books.
  6. ^ Gill, Libby (2001). Stay-At-Home Dads: The Essential Guide to Creating the New Family. New York: Penguin Group.
  7. ^ Gill, Libby (2001). Stay-At-Home Dads: The Essential Guide to Creating the New Family. New York: Penguin Group.
  8. ^ Gill, Libby (2001). Stay-At-Home Dads: The Essential Guide to Creating the New Family. New York: Penguin Group.
  9. ^ Gill, Libby (2001). Stay-At-Home Dads: The Essential Guide to Creating the New Family. New York: Penguin Group.
  10. ^ Gill, Libby (2001). Stay-At-Home Dads: The Essential Guide to Creating the New Family. New York: Penguin Group.
  11. ^ Benokraitis, Nijole V. Marriages & Families: Changes, Choices and Constraints. New Jersey: Pearson Educations Inc., 2008
  12. ^ Gill, Libby (2001). Stay-At-Home Dads: The Essential Guide to Creating the New Family. New York: Penguin Group.
  13. ^ Gill, Libby (2001). Stay-At-Home Dads: The Essential Guide to Creating the New Family. New York: Penguin Group.
  14. ^ a b c Benokraitis, Nijole V. Marriages & Families: Changes, Choices and Constraints. New Jersey: Pearson Educations Inc., 2008.
  15. ^ "The Stay At Home Dad Oasis - Resources, Information, Connections, and Community for involved dads". AtHomeDad.org. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
  16. ^ Gill, Libby (2001). Stay-At-Home Dads: The Essential Guide to Creating the New Family. New York: Penguin Group.
  17. ^ Rhonda Rowland CNN Medical Unit (2002-04-25). "Beyond tantrum control: Stay-at-home dads face health risks". CNN. Retrieved 2009-01-20. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  18. ^ Connect For Kids
  19. ^ a b c d Gill, Libby. Stay-At-Home Dads: The Essential Guide to Creating the New Family. New York: The Penguin Group, 2001.
  20. ^ Connect For Kids
  21. ^ Tucker, Patrick. "Stay At Home Dad's." The Futurist Sept. 2005: 12-13.
  22. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317303/
  23. ^ Holden, Sam (2007). Diary of a Hapless Househusband. London: Arrow Books Ltd.
  24. ^ Holden, Sam (2008). Growing Pains of a Hapless Househusband. London: Arrow Books Ltd.
  25. ^ http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9780099509363/Diary-of-a-Hapless-Househusband?b=-3&t=-26#Bibliographicdata-26
  26. ^ Eddie, David (1999). Housebroken. New York: The Berkley Publishing Group.
  27. ^ Murphy, Austin (2004). How Tough Could It Be?: The Trials and Errors of a Sportswriter Turned Stay-at-Home Dad. New York: Henry Holt and Company, LLC.
  28. ^ "US Census Press Releases". Census.gov. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
  29. ^ "Stay-at-Home Dads Forge New Identities, Roles". washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
  30. ^ "US Census Press Releases". Census.gov. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
  31. ^ "US Census Press Releases". Census.gov. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
  32. ^ "US Census Press Releases". Census.gov. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
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