https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:38:06 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-428237 Sun, 02 Dec 2012 17:30:07 +0000 anonysquire 428237@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StrawberryBee: Ya it is really sad. All the older kids kind of turned normal but the 3 kids who are still at home have the same eating habit as their dad :/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-427795 Sun, 02 Dec 2012 10:16:51 +0000 doodlepoodle 427795@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StrawberryBee: DH is a full-time student so any time he's not in school (winter/spring/summer break) J is with him. He's WONDERFUL! The house is clean, he does all the grocery shopping and he always has meals prepared! Now when he's in school, he's pretty much useless LOL...gotta take what you can get, right? ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-427794 Sun, 02 Dec 2012 10:14:36 +0000 StrawberryBee 427794@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@808love: I can see myself doing something similar -- I definitely tend to fall into the trap of 'my way is the best way.' Something for me to keep in mind!</p> <p>@anonysquire: wow, 9 kids all trapped in a house. What a shame that things went in that direction :(.</p> <p>Lying in bed listening to DH play cars with my DSS. I guess I'm also in the unusual situation of knowing his parenting style (good and bad) prior to baby. I love to listen to them play. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-427591 Sun, 02 Dec 2012 05:21:57 +0000 anonysquire 427591@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My dad would kill my husband if he even thought of being a SAHD. It's just not what our family does. But I guess we have a bad example. My Aunt is a college professor and her husband stayed at home to raise 9 kids. But he doesn't have a drivers license so could never take them anywhere and fed all the kids crap and he ballooned up to 70 pounds. Anyways he just seems really lazy and is emotionally abusive to his wife. </p> <p>I know SAHDs are not lazy, and I wouldn't care if my husband stayed home but again my parents would kill him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-427565 Sun, 02 Dec 2012 03:53:45 +0000 808love 427565@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Laneybugsmommy: That is horrible!</p> <p>My DH stayed home with DD for 4 days a week from 6 months to 15 months old. Now he does 3 days a week and we are up to 22 months. *He also worked full time but his schedule was weekends/early evenings. </p> <p> It's pretty good but I tend to criticize the ways he does stuff because I wish I could be the one to do stuff for her. (Clothes she wears, food she eats, methods of doing xyz--he works with me in general, but sometimes he gets a little off track---re: different than my ways.)But it works out and I am happy he and DD have lots of bonding time because I feel daddy/daughter relationships are soooo important to the child's well-being. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-427343 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 22:01:12 +0000 StrawberryBee 427343@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Laneybugsmommy: absolutely, but ugh, good grief! I feel sorry for the person who made that comment...what a narrow-minded soul. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-427151 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 18:57:17 +0000 Laneybugsmommy 427151@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StrawberryBee: The first time he tried to attend a library story time he asked someone where to go and was literally told "If your wife expects you to do her job, she should at least give you all the information". People can be incredibly ridiculous, but we love our situation and our little girl is happy, healthy, and thriving and that's what matters. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-427116 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 18:21:28 +0000 StrawberryBee 427116@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@rachiecakes: Thanks so much for the writeup of your experience! Glad to hear their relationship is great :D</p> <p>@.twist.: my DH also owns his own company, but unfortunately it doesn't bring in a lot of revenue. He's considering just selling it when the baby gets here, which will reduce our monthly expenses.</p> <p>@Laneybugsmommy: Thank you for letting me know that things swing both ways...I'll try to keep this in mind when I see our son or daughter clinging to the hubs ^^;;. Perhaps it's naive of me, but I find it so sad that in this day and age men are still judged if there's a role-reversal in the household. I know he won't be scrubbing toilets or anything, but I trust that some laundry will be done (even if it's started twenty minutes before I get home ;)) and the dishwasher will be filled/emptied, because that's what happens now.</p> <p>@Chillybear: how great that you were able to have such a relationship with your dad growing up -- it sounds like you had a lot of special moments together!</p> <p>@pastemoo: good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-427108 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:54:06 +0000 pastemoo 427108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StrawberryBee: I am interested to follow along. DH will be a SAHD after he gets out of the military (SOON!) assuming of course that I get a job when we move. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-427102 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:48:55 +0000 Chillybear 427102@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My dad was a WAHD when i was school aged (starting at 6). He's a free lance graphic designer so he had his studio/office in our home and if he had appointments they had back up options like the after care program at my school. But it was great, he was there if i forgot my lunch, or would take me to get my glasses fixed, or pick me up if i was sick. When I got home from school he helped with homework and start big projects. My friends were always allowed to hang out at my house after school and in the summer because there was a parent home at our house. I think spending so much time with him when i was a kid enabled me to have a great relationship with him into adulthood. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-427095 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:38:08 +0000 Laneybugsmommy 427095@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter is 19 months and DH has been a SAHD with her since I went back to work when she was 12 days old. He lost his job while I was pregnant so it just made the most sense for our family. It took me a few days to get over the jealousy I was feeling, but has been almost smooth sailing ever since. There have been a few moments where I feel like she favored him more because he was always with her, but right now she favors me more because she sees me less. I think its really no different than the regular stages a child goes through. The biggest problem we have is that my husband is judged for being a SAHD in our community when he takes my daughter to things like story time at the library etc. If you live in a more open-minded community there shouldn't be an issue :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-427089 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:31:09 +0000 .twist. 427089@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I can see my husband spending a lot of time at home taking care of our baby. He owns his own company and his schedule is a lot more flexible than mine is. I also bring home a bigger pay cheque so I need to work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-427084 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:12:28 +0000 rachiecakes 427084@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StrawberryBee: DH is a WAHD. His job allows him to stay home, it's been great! I am kind of jealous but definitely consider us lucky. And DS adores his daddy :) they're best friends. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-427040 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 16:25:53 +0000 autumnlove 427040@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was going to recommend the blog posts from Mr. Jacks!</p> <p>@mrsaudi: How awesome! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-427034 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 16:19:51 +0000 StrawberryBee 427034@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Honeybee: Thanks, I think I may even remember a bit of that! I'll have to do a search :).</p> <p>@ninja: thanks and good luck to you!</p> <p>Another positive: he'll be home when I get home, instead of working all sorts of odd hours and coming home late. As a kid my dad had a similar schedule, and there were times when we stayed up late just so that we'd see him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-426860 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 12:56:59 +0000 ninja 426860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH will be a SAHD starting in 10 days when I go back to work. Like your situation, I am the higher earner and it just made sense for us. I think the hard part for me is that I'm jealous! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-426834 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 12:31:24 +0000 Honeybee 426834@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mr. Jacks was a SAHD for a couple years. He even wrote a guest post on the subject for Mrs. Jacks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-426819 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 12:19:34 +0000 StrawberryBee 426819@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: I know, I was so impressed that it occurred to him to offer it. To be honest, swinging the daycare fee would have been tough. We probably would have had to borrow money from my grandmother. DH is working two jobs right now, and we're trying to save as much money as possible from the second job. It does mean that I'll have to take on his bills.</p> <p>@Foodnerd81:it did occur to me that it means he'll have a really close relationship with the baby, and I hope I won't be jealous of it. He loves his other children so much and his ex is such a b about it, I feel like he deserves it, as long as he doesn't lose his patience or get frustrated by it.</p> <p>@mrsaudi: thanks for your experience! If money becomes tight working evenings is a possibility. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-426745 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 11:15:15 +0000 Springtime 426745@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH is the primary caregiver for our LO, he still works but only in the evenings and nights. He enjoys it and I feel so much better with him watching our LO rather than daycare. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-426733 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 10:54:20 +0000 Foodnerd81 426733@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This would never work for us-- DH would be miserable as a SAHD and he makes about 3 times what I do-- but I think it's great when it works for a couple. My brother was a SAHD for the first year of his son's life-- he is a professor at a university and could take a sabatical for a year and stay home, while his wife went back to work teaching. It worked out great for them and he has a really strong bond with his son. The only downside was sometimes his wife got a little bit jealous that he got to spend so much more time with him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-426722 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 10:35:29 +0000 Mrs. Pen 426722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>awww that would be soo awesome and how adorable that your DH is willing to do that!!</p> <p>DH and I have talked about it and if I had a career that could make what he does or more we definitely would have considered it! My DH would make a great SAHD too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/stay-at-home-dad#post-426716 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 10:31:39 +0000 StrawberryBee 426716@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So DH threw me for a bit of a loop last night. I had discretely researched a couple of day cares yesterday at work and told him the prices (they weren't really a surprise; $1280 for full time dc around the corner from our house, $800 for 3 days a week at one on the way to work). The plan had been for my husband to watch the baby the other two days, since my paycheck pays the big bills. DH told me last night that he thinks it would make sense for him to quit and become a full time stay at home dad...and I can't say I disagree! Though I feel kinda guilty, since I started the baby thing. He told me its not fair for me to think that way, since he had a hand in the baby making process too. I'm also secretly jealous, since I would love to be a SAHM, but it's just not in the cards ;).</p> <p>Is anyone else's DH a SAHD? Has it presented any challenges? </p>