REMEMBER THAT YOUR BABY IS YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY
My wife and I knew several months before Tessa’s birth that I would be staying-at-home with the baby. But being a SAHD wasn’t going to be my only job. I have my own consulting business and worked from home even before Tessa’s birth.
But as a stay-at-home dad, I knew my priorities would have to change. I had to learn to ignore the cell phone and the e-mail. I had to switch gears from being only a workingman to being a family man.
Putting Tessa first above everything else made our transition together much smoother. Tessa learned early that when she fussed or cried, I was there for her instead of trying to soothe her while sitting in front of a computer screen. Ultimately, by making Tessa my top priority, our bond has become strong and our time together has been very positive, and that has made me more confident as a father and SAHD.
FIND A WAY FOR YOU AND THE BABY TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE
Take it from me, although my time with Tessa has been wonderful, our days together are long and can sometimes get boring. Before Tessa came along, I always thought babies slept about 20 hours a day. I was completely misinformed.
Tessa, who is apparently very similar to how I was as a baby, doesn’t really nap. She knows when it’s nighttime and then she sleeps. When it’s daytime, though, it’s her time to explore her new world. On a good day, Tessa might nap one or two hours. An average day though is a 10-minute nap here, maybe 15 minutes there for two or three times at the most. I’m not joking.
This lack of napping makes for a long day. To help break up the day, Tessa and I took lots of little trips out. We went to the coffee shop and would sit and have a bottle. Walks were popular little trips as well. Whatever it is you enjoy doing, just bring along your baby. It gets her out into the world and interacting with people and gives you a break from the monotony of sitting at home.
FIND A WAY TO CONNECT AND TALK WITH OTHER DADS
This one is really important and might not be thought about by many new stay-at-home dads. Becoming a dad is a huge adjustment, let alone becoming a SAHD. Like I mentioned earlier, in the beginning, I was a nervous wreck. I had so many doubts about myself, I felt like I was an awkward teenager all over again.
Fortunately, my best friend was a young dad as well. He also had a daughter. Although I didn’t have the time now like I did before to hang out, I made time at least once a week to go visit my friend or go grab a bite to eat or beer with him. We spent many of those outings just talking about what it was like to be a dad. The more I was able to bounce things off my friend, the more confident I felt in myself as a dad. My gaining confidence resulted in helping Tessa and I get into a good routine and things settled down nicely from there.
MAKE MOMMY HAPPY – CLEAN UP AND PITCH IN AROUND THE HOUSE
I’m going, to be honest here. This wasn’t my strong suit before the baby. I continued that trend even after Tessa’s birth. But I started to see my wife acting as if she wasn’t too happy with me. I, of course, acted indignant about it but when I finally clued in that I needed to get out of the “I stay home with the baby, so I don’t have to do anything else” mindset, I started seeing some of the little fights and arguments my partner and I were having to disappear.
The tension in the house went away and we all started to enjoy our time together more. Bottom line: Staying at home with your children doesn’t give you a free pass. If your kids are a little older, get them involved in cleaning up and pitching in around the house.
TREASURE THIS TIME WITH YOUR CHILD
Being a stay-at-home dad is the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life. At the same time, I love every minute of it. I feel so lucky to be able to spend so much time with Tessa. Sometimes when I’m home with her and I’m watching her smile at me, I can’t help but forget about all the difficulties and stresses in life. I forget about those e-mails I have to answer and those projects I have to finish up. Instead, I sit and just enjoy the moment with her. Tessa has one of those smiles that lights up everyone around her and my advice to any SAHD is to enjoy each and every one of those moments while you can.
Now over to you – what’s your most important tips or learnings as a SAHD? And also answer in our poll – becoming a new dad – what was the most difficult adjustment?
Is the Stay-At-Home Dad (SAHD) a Feminist Concept? A Genealogical ...
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-016-0582-5
by A Doucet - 2016 - Cited by 8 - Related articles
Feb 1, 2016 - This article is a critical examination of the stay-at-home dad (SAHD) as a concept and set of practices in Canada and the United States (U.S.). ... Finally, I attempt to answer the question: Is theSAHD a feminist concept? ... A Feminist and Relational Approach to Work, Care, and Choice: A ...
Stay At Home Dads | Free Listening on SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/stayathomedadz
Sahd Disco & Dad jams Booking - The Danger Collective: Thedangercollective@gmail.com. Venice, CA. 2 Tracks. 296 Followers. Stream Tracks and Playlists from Stay At Home Dads on your desktop or mobile device.
Why Stay-At-Home-Dads Are Badass | HuffPost
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/.../why-stay-at-home-dads-are-badass_us_576d7c0ee...
Jun 24, 2016 - His art is gorgeous but watching him settle into his role as a stay-at-home-dad (SAHD) is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. According to the Pew Research Center, fathers are fulfilling the role of lead parent now more than ever. Nevertheless, SAHDs are still the minority and subject to many stigmas, ...
The Loneliness of Being a Stay-at-Home Dad - The Atlantic
https://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2016/11/stay-at-home/506411/
Nov 3, 2016 - As a board member of the National At-Home Dad Network and a stay-at-home dad for the past eight years, it was always our family's plan for me to stay ... Am I still a stay-at-home dad if I'm never home?
https://t.co/1xn2HGn1fR
via @OWTK athomedad sahd fatherhood
pic.twitter.com/MKwSTmvBQB
.
Stay-At-Home-Dads, Househusbands, or SAHDs - O Magazine
www.oprah.com/relationships/stay-at-home-dads-househusbands-or-sahds-o-magazine
Coincidentally, their wives both have high-octane jobs. Coincidentally, he and his brother cook, clean, schlepp kids to school, and question the foundation of their lives. Sean Elder reports on the ups, downs, grievances, little joys, and nagging ambivale.
Stay-at-home dad - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stay-at-home_dad
A stay-at-home dad (alternatively, stay at home father, house dad, SAHD, househusband, or house-spouse) is a father who is the main caregiver of the children and is generally the homemaker of the household. As families have evolved, the practice of being a stay-at-home dad has become more common and socially ...
Secrets of Latino Stay-at-Home Dads | Parents - Parents Magazine
https://www.parents.com › ... › Advice for Dads › Secrets of Latino Stay-at-Home Dads
Priscilla Gragg If there's one thing that prepared Chris Salazar, of Arlington, Virginia, to be a stay-at-home dad (SAHD), it was growing up in a big Mexican-American family: “I had two brothers and a stepbrother, and there were always lots of little cousins around,” he says. “I changed a lot of diapers in my time and babysat a ...
Stay-at-Home Dad Survival Guide - Parents Magazine
https://www.parents.com › Parenting › Just for Dad › Stay-at-Home Dad Survival Guide
Although there are more SAHDs out there, that doesn't mean there won't be some people who don't understand the concept of you staying home while your wife goes to the office each day. "There are people out there that when they see a man staying home with his kids, they automatically think, 'he's an unemployed loser,' ...
Dads At Home Not Sahd At All - Care.com Community
https://www.care.com/c/stories/4720/dads-at-home-not-sahd-at-all/
Maxed-out in January. If you haven't read Brian Braiker's account in Newsweek of being a stay-at-home dad for a year, you should Google it. It's titled "Just don't call me Mr. Mom." Like Braiker, I had a doctorfather who probably didn't change too many diapers in his day. I'd like to think that my dad would be more ...
Survival Tips for Stay-At-Home Dads (SAHDs) (From Dad to Dad)
https://www.easybabylife.com › Tips For New Dads
Apr 29, 2016 - Stay-at-home dads may notice to their surprise that this new job is really tough - and rewarding. Learn from an experienced SAHD sharing his best tips.