It is usual to hear about stay-at-home moms because the traditional gender roles conditioned the society that fathers should be working and moms should be at home looking after the children. Over time, this arrangement has changed as more and more dads opted to be stay-at-home dads.
In a report from Idaho State Journal, in 1970 the Census of Bureau had only recorded six stay-at-home dads in the whole country. Only six fathers confirmed that they were the ones who looked after their children and that their wives were earning for the family.
Currently there are already over two million fathers who left their offices and opted to be full-time dads. In a span of 25 years, the number of stay-at-home dads has gone twice as many in number, Idaho State Journal has learned.
If stay-at-home dads used to be unheard of, this time it has gone otherwise that even well-known dads are willing to be one.
The most successful American alpine ski racer, Bodie Miller told ABC News that he can see himself staying at home with his kids. Miller has always been a family man, wanting to spend more time with his children in the same way he enjoyed his father's company.
The Olympian and two-time overall World Cup Champion described the work of a stay-at-home dad as impressive, saying "It's an amazing life to undertake ... it's a huge responsibility to be there for your kids and to be able to commit that time ... you're there everyday, you never let them down."
There is a growing number of dads who think the same way as Miller. Al Watts, president of the National At-Home Dad Network said that the fathers in this generation want to be associated with their children. They are eager to take responsibility in raising their kids.
In September, a study was done by the network in partnership with Farm Rich and researchers at Chapman University that aims to understand the spike of the stay-at-home dad population. The study revealed that the major reason is that more women are in the workforce.
The same study revealed that the experience is both encouraging and unfortunate. One dad described his experience as a succession from "pure bliss to pure hell."
One of the struggles of stay-at-home dads is isolation, since the majority of the parents who are left at home to take care of the kids are moms. If a father accompanied his child in museum, parks, school or playground, he will likely see more moms with their children.
Watts recognized the need of men for a community. In a 2014 interview, he told NPR: "A lot of us interact with a lot of moms on the playground or at the museums or wherever. But that camaraderie that comes from other men who are doing the same kind of role and have the same values that you do is something that is very special."
With the growing population of stay-at-home dads' isolation issue might not be a problem in the long run. Currently, to help stay-at-home dads connect with other dads in the same position, the National At-Home Dad Network maintains a listing and resources of stay-at-home dads' local groups.
