Becoming a Stay at Home Dad

If you had told me when I was 21 that in just a few short years I would be giving up work and becoming a stay a home dad, in order to look after a baby full time then I would have laughed in your face.

But as fate would have it that was the direction that my life would actually take. And while at first I was a bit unsure about becoming a stay at home dad. I mean after all being a stay at home dad is still seen as being weird by some small minded people out there, but now I am so glad that I had this opportunity.

I count it as a blessing and I want to share this with you guys who may be about to travel down the road of being a stay at home dad just like I did. Now first thing I want to say is that if I can be a stay at home dad than you can. I honestly had zero experience when it came to looking after babies and I managed just fine. So if I can do it, so can you.

The reason I became a stay at home dad is the same reason I am sure some of you will be and that is money. My wife made a great deal more money than I did so it made no sense what so ever for me to go and work for far less money than she would make, so it was decided I would be the one to stay at home.

So let me share a couple bits of advice that served me well during my tour of duty as a stay at home dad.

Stay at Home Dads Need to Go Out And About

Do not stay in the house all day or you will go insane!!! Go out for walks, I cannot stress this enough. I live in the UK where it rains 99 percent of the time, but if you have some good rain gear and a few blankets then your baby will be a snug and warm just as if he or she were in bed. It’s a great way to clear your mind and the motion of walking may even help your baby sleep which is always a blessing.

Becoming a Stay at Home Dad: People Act Weird

There is nothing wrong with becoming a stay at home dad. If people think it’s weird then they are the ones with the problems, but it can still be quite hurtful when you tell someone you’re a stay at home dad and you get that “oh that is great” half hearted response and you can just tell they are judging you.

This will happen to you at some point so just remember that they are the ones with the problem not you. But I know from personal experience how this can get you down. You just have to try and shrug it off the best you can.

Try Not To Rub It In

What I mean by this is that your wife or partner who is at work all day will no doubt be missing the baby like crazy and wish they could change places with you. So while you will want to share with her every little thing that he or she did make sure you are considerate of her feelings. It can be very hard for a mom to have to go back to work and leave her baby at home. So always take that into consideration and make her feel like she is still involved.

Enjoy It

This is the best piece of advice I can give you stay at home dads to be. I really cannot stress enough how lucky you are. Just think of all the firsts you are going to get to witness that you would have missed if you had been at work. I am not saying it’s easy by any means, but the good by a ton outweighs the bad.

Also remember that you are one the first in a whole new generation of stay at home dads, you’re breaking the stereotypes and showing that men can be loving and caring individuals to their children just like women were always expected to be.

So don’t let the naysayer’s out there keep you down, be proud of who you are and remember it’s for your child’s best interest and that’s all that really matters. I hope this article will help you with your own journey towards becoming a stay at home dad and I look forward to reading your comments.

If you have any questions or concerns about the transitions feel free to let me know and I’ll respond in a jiffy.