The Stay-At-Home-Dad: Superhero or Psychopath? Depends Who You Ask
Socially well-adjusted or psychologically maladjusted?
It really depends who you ask.
Depending on the camp that you’re in, you’ll choose one of these two options when referring to the growing ranks of stay-at-home dads (SAHDs). A recent article on one particular SAHD chronicles some of his experiences in dealing with often being one of the few, or only parents in a room that is of the male persuasion. After making the joint decision with his wife that he would be the primary day-to-day caregiver while she worked outside the home, this particular dad was likely not prepared for the onslaught of opinions – often unsolicited – that came from strangers.
On a regular basis, he has had to suffer the indignities of other parents, primarily mothers to be specific, who question his motives and check their cell phones to see whether a fugitive pedophile is on the loose in their neighborhood. After all, these particular women seem to find it implausible that a man, after all, would voluntarily take on a role that many of them seem to think is solely the domain of the x chromosome. You see, they have bought into the notion that the only nurturers worth their salt must be female and answer to the term “mommy” (or mama, mère or otherwise – choose your language). That a man has chosen to lovingly care for their young child is outside of the realm of possibility and probability for an unfortunately large number of women. Is this really fair?
Ironically, the female demographic in North America has fought for the right to be seen as equal in every way to the existing male-dominated societal structure that had power and control over almost every facet of day-to-day existence. As females, we collectively bemoaned the unwilling subversion to which we were forced into as a result of our almost non-existent economic power within society. Let’s not forget that “women in the workplace” as we know it today, is a relatively modern occurrence. It has only been a few decades where we have steadily seen this group exercise its ability to go into the paid workforce, as men had done all of those years. Bras were burned and rights were earned and everyone was supposed to be happy.
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