According to the Pew Research Center’s (PRC) polling, the public does not value stay-at-home dads. We need to fix that. Stay-at-home dads are equally valuable as stay-at-home moms. There is nothing emasculating about contributing to the family in the capacity of homemaker.
Data from the PRC indicates the number of fathers who do not work outside the home has risen markedly, up to 2 million in 2012. It reached its highest point—2.2 million—in 2010, just after the recession. Since that time, the number has fallen slightly, driven by declines in unemployment. However, roughly a quarter of stay-at-home dads (23%) report that they are home because they cannot find a job. The largest share of stay-at-home fathers (35%) are at home due to illness or disability. Lastly, nearly a quarter (21%) indicates the reason they are home is to care for their home or family, which I take issue with.
The rise in fathers stating they are home to care for their family without any further context is vexing and misleading. I’m certain that any man who makes the choice to stay at home and care for his household has a partner that out earns him. In addition, the couple would rather not or can’t afford to outsource the raising of their child or children. These men are respectable and smart. In making this choice are clearly not allowing ego or stereotypes to interfere with the success of their family.
We the people talk about equality in the workforce for women, if we mean it, equality should also transcend the workforce to the household. Men should not seek to avoid the duty of homemaker, yet, most do, and for the men that have assumed the role, a majority of society looks down their noses at them. To be clear, becoming a homemaker is not and should not be the first option for any man or woman, however, becoming a homemaker is a respectable choice for both men and women. Circumstances will force the choice for some men, and others may just want to assume the role. Further, becoming a stay-at-home dad can be a constructive means for men living with the consequences of careless early life decisions to thrive in society. Of the 23 percent of dads that indicate they are staying home as a result of their inability to find a job, one can only guess, but it’s likely a good deal of those men can’t find a job due to criminal records and a low level of education. The life lessons a man who has made ruinous decisions can share with his children are priceless. Regardless of how a man becomes a homemaker, we must not devalue their contribution.
REF: Livingston, G. (2014, June 5). Public Differs on Importance of Stay-at-Home Moms and Stay-at-Home Dads. Retrieved October 19, 2014, from http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2014/06/05/growing-number-of-dads-home-with-the-kids/
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