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Home › Articles › Fatherhood › Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

The Pros and Cons of Being a Stay-at-home Dad

By I.J. Schecter

Pages:  1  2  3  

Moms who try to do it all experience undue stress, fatigue or resentment. Do yourself, and your child, a favor by procuring the occasional bit of assistance. It's often the promise of an occasional break, rather than the length of that break, that helps the most.

  • Don't hog the glory. With being primary caregiver comes the pleasure of observing changes, reporting hilarious moments and gushing about your growing connection to the baby. Reassuring though your closeness with the baby is for your partner, that doesn't mean she won't feel some jealousy. Encourage her to have her own time with the baby, and remind her how much your child anticipates her arrival at the end of the day.

  • Refer to toys more than balls. Because you're male, there is one particular behavior pattern to watch out for. The first time your little one grips a ball and tentatively hands it back, you nearly die with joy. Though you've told yourself you don't care whether he or she likes sports, before you know it, you've swept aside the floor gym and starter piano. Remind yourself that it's critical your child benefits from the enormous variety of toys and activities currently available, which stimulate different parts of his or her brain. Plus, you won't have to explain to your wife why her son or daughter ignores every other toy in the room to play with the Nerf soccer ball.

  • Take your role seriously. "It's a job," says Brender. It demands study, concentration and the commitment to put into practice the lessons of those who have gone before you. Your baby is your own little project – and the most important one you'll ever be assigned.

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