Are you a Stay at home dad?

Are you a stay at home dad? Are you planning on becoming a stay at home father? If so, you probably have many questions and concerns.
In today's economy and way of life, many children are raised in a household where both parents have to work to make ends meet. The family structure of today is a far cry from our parents generation and even how many of us were raised. It is a rarity these days to have a mother who wants to and can stay home with her children full-time, and do so with financial stability. It is even more rare to find a father, who is willing and able, to stay home full-time with the children.
With parenting roles changing and forging new and uncharted paths, it is increasingly harder to define the duties and expectations of the roles of "mom" and "dad". In many ways, the fact that men of today are much more involved then men of past generations, regarding household duties and in the raising of the children, it may be refreshing for "us" to decide, as a new generation of parents, what we expect from each other.
The stay at home dad's questions and concerns are not unlike the mother who is considering staying at home, full-time, to raise the kids. How will it work out financially for us? Am I okay not being the bread winner in the family? Will I regret not being able to pursue my own career aspirations at this time? Do I have the stamina to manage household duties, raising the children, and maintaining a happy, healthy marriage? How will I deal with the potential guilt that I may feel if I were to "miss out" in the work world, or if I decide to work, the guilt about not being with my children? These are hard-hitting questions that can be daunting to discuss with the significant other, but they are necessary. Here is the great news: you are not alone in figuring all this out! Besides helpful support from close friends and family, there are wonderful on-line resources to seek out when you could use help.
At Home Dad is a website that is a support to stay at home dad's everywhere. There's a Questions and Answers forum if you would like another dad's perspective or advice on how to do something. There's an absolutely wonderful page on the site, that allows you to search for a "Daddy and Baby" playgroup in your state and local area. You may find it challenging with existing friends and meeting new ones, for both you and the children, once you make that cross-over to being a SAHD. Connecting with other SAHD's is a great way to make new friends and have strong support for yourself and the kids.
For all the local Sacramento dads, here is a playgroup you may want to look in to and it's called Dads in Greater Sacramento (D.I.G.S). Another great site is Meet-Ups. Here you can find any number of groups to join regarding any interest! This site is easy to navigate and connect with other dad's groups.

Author: Kimberly Benny

Kimberly Benny is an Examiner from Sacramento. You can see Kimberly's articles on Kimberly's Home Page.

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