More men becoming stay-at-home dads.

by Gerard de Marigny
Source: Las Vegas Stay-at-Home Dads Examiner
September 2, 2009

From right here in Las Vegas and the rest of the nation, the numbers are in and they are staggering:

• According to the census there were 140,000 stay-at-home dads reported in 2008 – a one-third jump from just 2002.

• 80% of the jobs shed during this current economic downturn were jobs held by men

• The estimate for 2009 goes as high as 2 million stay-at-home dads, either by necessity or by choice.

Those statistics are beginning to get headlines all over the country. Lots of the stories associated with these statistics focus on the reasons why more men than ever are becoming stay-at-home dads – from the economy downturn to women achieving higher paying jobs - but what should become the focus for stay-at-home dads is answering the question …What are you doing while you are home? Domestic chores, like cooking and cleaning aside (these chores are split among married couples whether they work or not anyway).

Here are a few important areas on which a stay-at-home dad should focus: (no matter if you intend to stay-at-home temporarily or not)

• Your children’s education – whether you homeschool or not, this is a time for you to take a more active, interested role in your children’s education.

• Your formal education – there are so many choices nowadays for you – from distance education degree programs, to vocational schools to certificate programs – use some of your home time to improve your education.

• Your wellness – it may be a hokey term but it covers all the bases – when working out of the house, you sometimes can’t eat right and exercise enough – but at home you have no excuse!

• Stay connected – Whether you intend on remaining a stay-at-home dad or not, it is imperative that you continue to network, both socially and professionally. Again, nowadays this can be accomplished from both a computer - tons of networking websites from more business-oriented sites like Linked In, to social networking like Facebook and Twitter ...and don't forget to get out of your house as much as you can, shake a few hands, attend local functions. In Las Vegas alone, there are dozens of local networking (business and social) events every week. Check your local newpapers for their locations/times.

Other things to do – keep your resume current, your clothes in order, your hair cut and your shoes shined. There is a big difference between a dad staying home and being a “stay-at-home dad” – have fun with it, but take it and yourself seriously. Set goals and objectives to reach those goals, not only for your children but for yourself too.

Life is not about a location, it’s about making the right choices, setting goals and objectives and making progress towards them. Whether you work for pay outside your home or for free from within it, you should go about living your life in the same exact way. If you’re not …your just taking up space!