What are the benefits of stay-at-home dads?
While there are challenges, there are wonderful things that can come with having a stay-at-home parent, and in particular a stay-at-home dad.
Some of the benefits, regardless of which parent is at home, include:
- elimination of child care costs
ability to have daily input in how your child is raised and exactly what they’re taught/fed/allowed to do.
- always being available should your child - - - Stronger relationships with partner
Because mothers are typically seen as the caregiver in a family, it can be especially empowering for males to take on this role.
Having success in multiple types of roles can lead to a greater appreciation for a partner’s contributions as well as a greater appreciation of your own complex nature — which can certainly benefit a partnership.
Stronger relationships with children
Being a stay-at-home father can also increase male involvement in bringing up children. Not only is this beneficial for society as a whole, but positive for individual family dynamics.
In a 2015 study of 20 working moms, children were found to have positive relationships with both the mother and father when the father stayed at home in a caregiving position and the mother left the home to work.
While there’s no reason why this can’t be the case when a mother stays home with the children, it’s interesting to note that the study also found an increase in parent cohesion and quality time individually with the children and as a family unit.
Mothers said they felt they were able to really take advantage of the morning and evening times to nurture their children despite working during the day. They noted they connected well with fathers, since they had mutual understandings about the pressures of children and work.
Redefining social norms
It’s not uncommon to hear people ask dads if they’re “babysitting” — a question that would never be asked of a mother. Redefining social expectations and norms means fathers are perceived as partners in parenting instead of merely bystanders who are called on only in an emergency.
Stay-at-home dads can help to positively alter perceptions of masculinity, caregiving, and fatherhood.
Positive outcomes for children
While there isn’t a lot of research specifically on stay-at-home dads, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that involved fathers have a positive and lasting impact on the health and well-being of their children.
The benefits of stay-at-home fathers is definitely an area where more research is needed, but the advantages are beginning to be scientifically established!
While there are challenges, there are wonderful things that can come with having a stay-at-home parent, and in particular a stay-at-home dad.
Some of the benefits, regardless of which parent is at home, include:
- elimination of child care costs
ability to have daily input in how your child is raised and exactly what they’re taught/fed/allowed to do.
- always being available should your child - - - Stronger relationships with partner
Because mothers are typically seen as the caregiver in a family, it can be especially empowering for males to take on this role.
Having success in multiple types of roles can lead to a greater appreciation for a partner’s contributions as well as a greater appreciation of your own complex nature — which can certainly benefit a partnership.
Stronger relationships with children
Being a stay-at-home father can also increase male involvement in bringing up children. Not only is this beneficial for society as a whole, but positive for individual family dynamics.
In a 2015 study of 20 working moms, children were found to have positive relationships with both the mother and father when the father stayed at home in a caregiving position and the mother left the home to work.
While there’s no reason why this can’t be the case when a mother stays home with the children, it’s interesting to note that the study also found an increase in parent cohesion and quality time individually with the children and as a family unit.
Mothers said they felt they were able to really take advantage of the morning and evening times to nurture their children despite working during the day. They noted they connected well with fathers, since they had mutual understandings about the pressures of children and work.
Redefining social norms
It’s not uncommon to hear people ask dads if they’re “babysitting” — a question that would never be asked of a mother. Redefining social expectations and norms means fathers are perceived as partners in parenting instead of merely bystanders who are called on only in an emergency.
Stay-at-home dads can help to positively alter perceptions of masculinity, caregiving, and fatherhood.
Positive outcomes for children
While there isn’t a lot of research specifically on stay-at-home dads, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that involved fathers have a positive and lasting impact on the health and well-being of their children.
The benefits of stay-at-home fathers is definitely an area where more research is needed, but the advantages are beginning to be scientifically established!
