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The benefits of being a stay at home Dad

Posted by Wesley, 22 Mar

Are there any stay at home dad benefits? Well, all this depends on the region or country that you are coming from. There are those countries that socially favor and support women who stay at home more than men. So if it is a country that is more conservative, then a stay at home will be socially shunned.

Despite the fact that some stay at home men might struggle with acceptance, scroll on as we look at the gains that come out of it...

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Work from home dad perks

When making a decision, the first thing that most men ask is stay at home dad benefits. Many worry about losing their manhood. Some worry about losing their professionalism or business skills. Well, this is a common misconception that when men stay at home, they force the woman to fend for the family. This is not necessarily true because these days, one can get work from home jobs.

If you are still wondering whether to become a stay at home dad, I will tell you this secret for free. Those who do it willingly are more satisfied with the role they play within the family. Here is why...

Breaking sexist traditional gender roles

Whenever people start debating about this the first thing that people highlight are the stay at home mom vs working mom pros and cons. Traditionally people believed that staying at home and raising kids is the moms' job and that women couldn't build successful careers and still raise kids. Building a career used to be the dads thing.

But even if we go on day in and out debating about the working mother advantages and disadvantages we have to accept the reality that times are changing. The human race is becoming more accepting and fluid in various aspects of life. Society has come to terms with the fact that both men and women can take up similar challenges. And this alone has really given the girl child the motivation to compete in a 'man's' world.

As more and more dads stay at home sexist barriers are being broken. Roles are changing. This gives men who want to bond more and get more involved in their children's lives the chance to do so. It also gives women who want to build their careers a fair chance.

They get to know their kids inside out

We should never underestimate the importance of dads. When a man gets to spend a lot of one-on-one time with their kids, they get to know them better. Much as you might have to pick up a few chores here and there it's all worth it because you get to bond with your children. You will know more about them from their favorite color to how to deal with their different emotional states and behavior.

They also become more involved and in touch with how the days of their kids are in school and what happened. This can really help prevent lots of behavioral problems since they are in tune with their kids' lives. Every moment and every memory created is worth the while.

No milestones missed

There is one misconception that people have about dads - That they don't care what milestones they missed. Really? Even the first day the kid rode without training wheels? Hell NO!

There is nothing as great for any parent, even dads, as witnessing the first time your kid does something. 'First times don't have second chances. These are precious moments that need not missed. And when people look stay at home mom vs working mom pros and cons, they always feel that most of these things should be witnessed by the mom. Wrong! Dad's need these memories too.

This is one of the stay at home dad benefits that should help you make the decision of whether or not to raise your kids full time.

Career mom can pursue her dreams

There is nothing as bad as a woman who feels that staying at home made her not pursue her dreams. The thing with feeling like you have made an unfair sacrifice is that eventually one cracks. When debating working mother advantages and disadvantages, the freedom to pursue one's career is one off the main advantages.

There are those cases when maybe the mom's job pays better than the dad's job. Well, this is one of the cases when a man can opt to become a work from home dad so that the family can benefit more from the mom's salary. And when a woman feels fulfilled and relevant based on her career, she also tends to be more appreciative of the husband. This, in turn, translates to a better marriage.

No more deadlines (Yay!)

Now there might be a schedule at home that you might have to adhere to. Lucky for you, you won't have to deal with the deadlines that a dad who works away from home has to stick to. Dads who stay at home make their own schedules. Laundry not folded today? There is tomorrow. There is no one to boss you around to get things done at a specific time or period. Having no deadlines is one of the stay at home dad benefits.

So if there is laundry yo be folded and the kid wants to be pushed on the swings, you can commit to do what made you be a stay at home dad first - bonding with the kids. Those clothes will still be waiting for you in the laundry basket when you get done playing. Basically, you get to spontaneous with kids. This is something your kids will love you for and will appreciate in the future.

Kids have better emotional growth

Lots of studies have emphasized the importance of a father figure in the upbringing of kids and the benefits of a stay-at-home dad on the kids. We are not saying that mothers aren't good when it comes to the kids' emotional growth. Mothers are emotionally reassuring. That's why, when a child cries, the first response of the mother is to comfort them with reassuring words.

With dads, the emotional skills that they help their kids develop and curiosity and self problem-solving skills. So kids who have been brought up by a close father tend to be more independent and it also helps the child learn to cope with their problems. They learn perspective which makes them more behaviorally and emotionally balanced. So while mothers tend to reassure a frustrated child, fathers teach them how to manage their frustrations. When they grow older, they become empowered enough to cope with stress.

So with a working mom stay at home dad household, the children tend to have fewer temper tantrums. That said though, mothers also have an important role to play too. We can't run away from the fact that kids will also need to be comforted just as much as they need support.

Daycare savings

We cannot emphasize enough the savings on daycare that come with a working mom stay at home dad environment compared to when both parents are working. Daycare is so pricey that sometimes, it can make you even wonder why you sacrifice time with your family for work. The thing is, it doesn't make sense to go to work then spend your whole paycheck paying someone to look after your young ones.

If you are in a situation where the mom's job brings more money, then it makes more sense for the father to stay at home with the kids, right? Plus, if its the question of an entire income stream being lost, you can make some money by working from home. There are so many freelance jobs online. With tons of great sites and resources online, you can still work and take care of your kids at the same time.

Daughters are inspired to dream big

First off, if you are staying at home, then you will definitely have to do some house chores here and there. Well, this is great for the girls, especially when they see that the dad is actually supporting the mother's dreams and career. This simple gesture makes the daughters become more ambitious about their own careers too. And this is what makes it one of the greatest stay at home dad benefits.

Whatever career choice they have, seeing the dad help out around the house shows them that cleaning and cooking is not a woman's job. It is a job that anyone can do. This way, if there are sons in the house, they will also assist in the housework. This makes it a fair field for both the boys and the girls to have time to pursue their dreams. It encourages the girl to take on challenging careers which traditionally, they were viewed as men's jobs. They learn confidence and they learn at an early age that their needs and their dreams are just as important as those of men.

The kids become more accepting and open-minded

The fact that a man can choose to stay at home and let the wife pursue a career speaks for itself. The fact that a man can make the choice of taking care of the kids has awesome effects on your kids. They grow up knowing that you are a selfless man who put their needs first.

The 'mom working and dad raising kids' scenario defies tradition. So your kids will always be more accepting of various scenarios and more open-minded. The girls too get to learn skills that people consider masculine. So if you have both boys and girls, it teaches them that they have a choice to live their lives as it pleases them.

Conclusion

The gender restrictions we had before are neanderthal and toxic. So instead of forcing people into particular stereotypes and sexism, today, we are welcoming and embracing the changes within our society. People are realizing and acknowledging the above stay at home dad benefits and more... So today, the phenomenon of having a dad taking care of the kids while the mom works is gradually becoming more accepted as a new family model. It's up to a family to decide what model works best for them.

For more articles on parenting, visit Love is All Colors.