 = 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 the homemaker of the household . As families have evolved , the practice of being a stay @-@ at @-@ home dad has become more common , and socially more acceptable . 
 Pre @-@ industrialisation , the family worked together as a unit and was self @-@ sufficient . Beginning with the Industrial Revolution , large @-@ scale production replaced home manufacturing ; this shift , coupled with prevailing norms governing sex or gender roles , dictated that the father become the breadwinner and the mother the caregiver . When affection @-@ based marriages emerged in the 1830s , parents began devoting more attention to children and family relationships became more open . Beginning during World War II , many women entered the workforce out of necessity ; women resumed the caregiver position after the war , but their new @-@ found sense of independence changed the traditional family structure together with cultural shifts leading to the feminist movement and advances in birth control . Some women opted to return to the care giver role . Others chose to pursue careers . When women chose to work outside of the home , alternative childcare became a necessity . If childcare options were too costly , unavailable , or undesirable , the stay @-@ at @-@ home dad became a viable option . 
 The number of stay @-@ at @-@ home dads began gradually increasing in the late 20th century , especially in developed Western nations . The recent statistic that Pew Research released , showed a report in June 2014 that found 2 million men to be stay @-@ at @-@ home dads . However , in 2010 , the number of stay @-@ at @-@ home dads had reached its highest point of 2 @.@ 2 million . 
 Though the role is subject to many stereotypes , and men may have difficulties accessing parenting benefits , communities , and services targeted at mothers , it became more socially acceptable by the 2000s . The stay @-@ at @-@ home dad was more regularly portrayed in the media by the 2000s , especially in the United States . However , due to traditional family structures and stereotypic expectations , the stay at home father figure is culturally unacceptable in countries such as East Asia and India . 
 
 = = Evolution of family roles = = 
 
 
 = = = Pre @-@ industrialisation = = = 
 
 In the colonial United States the nuclear family was the most common family form . Typical families consisted of five or more children initially ; because of high infant mortality rates , only a few children survived adolescence . Colonial families existed to serve six main functions : self @-@ sufficient business , school , vocational institute , church , house of correction , and welfare institution . 
 The first African @-@ Americans to reach America were initially brought over as indentured servants , but instead became slaves . By the 19th century , slave trading was a thriving business . Typical slave families consisted of one or two children . Women were primarily the head of the families , either because the fathers had died or had been separated from the family . African @-@ American women experienced what came to be known as the " double day , " a full day of domestic chores plus a full day of work outside the home . 
 
 = = = Industrialization ( 1800 – 1900 ) = = = 
 
 The Industrial Revolution led to extensive mechanization , resulting in a shift from home manufacturing to large @-@ scale factory production . As this rapid transition took place , families lost many of their production functions . Instead , family members had to work outside the home to support their families . As a result , husbands and wives began operating in separate spheres of activity . The husband became the " breadwinner " by going out and working , while the wife stayed home and took care of the family . 
 
 = = = Transition to modern family ( 1900 – present ) = = = 
 
 The modern family is commonly thought to have originated in the 1830s : courtship became more open , marriages were often based on affection , and parents devoted more attention to children . At the beginning of the 20th century , married couples began to emphasize the importance of sexual attraction and compatibility in their relationships . This led to more intimate and open relationships along with more adolescent freedom . The transition of the family was influenced by the Great Depression , which forced many women into the workplace in order to compensate for lack of financial stability . In 1932 , a federal executive order stated that only one spouse could work for the federal government . This resulted in many women being forced to resign allowing their husbands to continue working . 
 World War II had a significant impact on changing family roles . Because of the draft , workers were scarce in many industries and employers began to fill jobs with women , mainly in nontraditional positions . This increase in working women became one of the few times in history where women were praised for work outside the home . Divorce rates also reached a new high during this period . Not only had many women found a new sense of independence , but cultural shifts were underway , including the rise of feminism and the development of reliable methods of birth control . Such changes caused some women to decide to end their unhappy marriages . 
 The 1950s saw a " baby boom " in America . This period was also called the " Golden ' 50s " . This was credited to families trying to make up lost time after the war . As a result , many families moved to the suburbs instead of residing in the city , the number of two @-@ income families began to increase , and grown children began to remain at home longer because of financial difficulties . Gradually , women began re @-@ entering the workforce . This progression away from the traditional view of the woman as the homemaker led to the creation of the role of the stay @-@ at @-@ home dad . 
 
 = = Increase in popularity in the 21st century = = 
 
 Stay @-@ at @-@ home dads have been seen in increasing numbers in Western culture , especially in Canada , the UK and the United States since the late 20th century . In developed East Asian nations such as Japan and South Korea , this practice is less common . 
 There are several reasons why some families feel that it would be more beneficial for the father to be the primary caregiver while the mother works outside of the home . The decision to use a stay @-@ at @-@ home dad arrangement is most commonly due to economic reasons . At the same time , women are progressing into higher @-@ paying jobs . There are now financial ramifications in deciding whether the mother or father should become the stay @-@ at @-@ home parent . In cases where the woman is the higher @-@ paid parent , it makes more economic sense for her to continue to work while the man takes on the caregiver role . It also makes sense at times the mother 's job offers health benefits for the family whereas the father 's does not . It has also been shown that if the " pregnancy was jointly planned , " the father is more likely to be involved . 
 With the growth of telecommuting , many men are also able to work from home . In this regard , he is contributing financially to the family while also acting as the primary caregiver of the family 's children . Differences in parent 's schedules can also account for some of the stay @-@ at @-@ home dads . Sometimes the father works odd work shifts while the mother has a typical nine @-@ to @-@ five work schedule . 
 Fixed gender roles began to become less prominent in the Western world starting in the late 20th century , allowing men to make their own choice of career without regard to traditional gender @-@ based roles . Some men who choose this role may do so because they enjoy being an active part of their children 's lives , while in other families , the mother wants to pursue her career . For example , of the 187 participants at Fortune Magazine 's Most Powerful Women in the Business Summit , one third of the women 's husbands were stay @-@ at @-@ home dads . Families vary widely in terms of how household chores are divided . Some retired males who marry a younger woman decide to become stay @-@ at @-@ home dads while their wives work because they want a " second chance " to watch a child grow up in a second or third marriage . Additionally , more career and lifestyle options are accepted and prevalent in Western society . There are also fewer restrictions on what constitutes a family . 
 
 = = Disadvantages = = 
 
 Depending on the country or region , a stay @-@ at @-@ home dad might find more or less social support for his decision . In regions where traditional roles prevail , a stay @-@ at @-@ home dad might be shunned by stay @-@ at @-@ home mom 's peer group . In order to find support for their choice , these men have created and joined many support networks . 
 Still , many men struggle to find acceptance within the role of stay @-@ at @-@ home dad despite the many gains that have been made . Many worry about losing business skills and their " professional place in line " . There is a common misconception that stay @-@ at @-@ home dads cannot get a job and therefore must rewrite the typical family roles , forcing the wife into the workforce . Carrying the financial burden and dealing with children 's attachment to the dad can be difficult on a working mother . 
 One 2002 study by the American Heart Association suggested stay @-@ at @-@ home dads may face a higher risk of heart disease . The reasons for the health risk are not specified . 
 The role of stay @-@ at @-@ home dad may be difficult for men who feel as though they had no option . It is hard for these men to adapt from being a financial provider in the family to being a homemaker . Men who willingly choose to become a stay @-@ at @-@ home dad are much more satisfied with their role in the family . 
 
 = = = For the Father = = = 
 
 - No longer the “ Money Maker ” in the family , may become an issue due to not being the main support and rock for the family . 
 - Transitioning from the workplace to stay at home role can be challenging . 
 - Pay cut due to some male jobs paying higher than a female job . 
 
 = = = For the Mother = = = 
 
 - Missing their children . 
 - Adapting to the workforce role from the stay at home mother role . 
 - Becoming the main source of income for the family and working long hours away from home and family . 
 - Will lose less time with their children and will devote 70 % of their day to work force and 30 % to their children . 
 
 = = Advantages = = 
 
 
 = = = For the child = = = 
 
 There have been many studies done which suggest the importance of the paternal role in a child 's life and benefits of the stay @-@ at @-@ home dad . Children respond differently to males and females at birth . 
 A study conducted by Dr. Kyle D. Pruett found that infants between 7 and 30 months respond more favorably to being picked up by their fathers . Pruett also found that a father 's parenting style is beneficial for a child 's physical , cognitive , emotional and behavioral development . Mothers reassure toddlers when they become frustrated while fathers encourage them to manage their frustration . This helps the children learn to deal with stress and frustration . A long @-@ term study Pruett conducted proved that a father 's active involvement with his children , from birth to adolescence , promotes greater emotional balance , stronger curiosity and a stronger sense of self @-@ assurance in the child . 
 Additional studies show that during the first five years of a child 's life , the father 's role is more influential than the mother 's in how the child learns to manage his or her body , navigate social circumstances , and play . Furthermore , a 1996 study by McGill University found that the " single most important childhood factor in developing empathy is paternal involvement in childcare " . Children that have a strong paternal influence have more nurturing abilities . It has been researched in The Role of the Father in Child Development , that in general , children with stay @-@ at @-@ home dads develop attachments at infancy . The study further concluded that fathers who spent time alone bonding with their children more than twice per week brought up the most compassionate adults . 
 Robert Frank , a professor of child development at Oakton Community College in Illinois , conducted a study comparing households with a stay @-@ at @-@ home dad and households with a stay @-@ at @-@ home mom . His study concluded that women were still able to form a strong bond with their children despite working full @-@ time outside of the home . Also , women working full @-@ time were often more engaged with their children on a day @-@ to @-@ day basis than their male counterparts . His study concluded that in a family with a stay @-@ at @-@ home dad arrangement , the maternal and paternal influences are equally strong . This contrasts with the more traditional family structure where the father works outside of the home and the mother stays home with the children . In this type of arrangement , the mother 's influence is extremely strong , whereas the father 's is relatively insignificant . The study found that both parents play an equal role in a child 's development , but the stay @-@ at @-@ home dad arrangement is the most beneficial for the child . 
 
 = = = For the mother = = = 
 
 The stay @-@ at @-@ home dad arrangement allows the mother to work without having to use a daycare or a nanny . This arrangement prevents the mother from having to deal with the stress of finding acceptable childcare , checking backgrounds , and paying for care . This arrangement also can help ensure that the family 's values are being upheld and instilled in the children . Free from the stress of childcare , the working mother is able to actively pursue their career . This allows for a more relaxed working environment for the mother and allows her to focus on her career . If the mother has a higher paying job , this extra income will allow for savings to be made for the children , these savings could help the mother later on pay for university for the child and / or children . Thus , she can advance her career and provide more money for the family . It puts a sound mind for the mother knowing that the child / children are at a safe place with the father having the same safety and values as the mother . 
 
 = = = For the father = = = 
 
 A survey conducted by Minnesota 's Department for Families and Children 's Services shows that men consider child care to be far more important than a paycheck . Of 600 dads surveyed , a majority said their most important role was to " show love and affection " to kids . " Safety and protection " came next , followed by " moral guidance , " " taking time to play , " and " teaching and encouraging . " " Financial care " finished last . Many men are now becoming more involved in their children 's lives , and because of that many men now have a better understanding of what life is like for their child growing up in modern society . Because fathers are immersed in their children 's lives , many of the stereotypically " manly " attitudes and activities historically prescribed for children may be circumscribed due to a more gender @-@ neutral parenting approach that focuses on promoting independence and emotional well being . This allows children , especially male children , to grow up with a greater capacity for empathy and less rigidity in attitudes pertaining to gender roles than would perhaps be the case in more traditionally @-@ structured households . 
 
 = = Prevalence = = 
 
 
 = = = Australia = = = 
 
 Stay @-@ at @-@ home dads make up a very small portion of the Australian population although this appears to be rapidly changing . In 2003 , 91 % of fathers with children aged under 15 years were employed with 85 % employed full @-@ time . Because of this , there are few role models or resources that can help Australian fathers with the stay @-@ at @-@ home dad role . The Australian Bureau of Statistics show that approximately 7 % of two parents families with children under the age of 14 have a father who is unemployed and a mother who works full time . Stay at home dads in Australia have almost doubled over the past decade from 57 @,@ 900 to 106 @,@ 000 , and expected to increase in the future . Recent sociological studies have shown that men are dedicating more time and support to their children in comparison to the 19th century . The idea of a stay at home dad were far from mainstream , however the rising demand for female work has influenced this statistic to rise . 
 
 = = = Canada = = = 
 
 Over a 20 @-@ year period during the late 20th century , there was an increase in the number of women in the workforce in Canada . This shift increased father participation in family tasks that used to primarily be the responsibility of the mother . Beginning in the late 20th century , parental roles began to become less traditional , and the stay @-@ at @-@ home dad arrangement began to become more common . The number of stay @-@ at @-@ home dads increased by three percent points between 1976 and 1998 , and the average age of a stay @-@ at @-@ home dad in Canada is forty @-@ two . A bill was passed in by the Canadian government in October 1990 which granted paid leave for fathers for the purpose of primary caregiving . 
 
 = = = East Asia = = = 
 
 Stay @-@ at @-@ home dads are not prevalent in East Asian countries , which generally have strict traditional gender roles . However , a survey conducted in 2008 in Japan suggested that nearly one third of married men would accept the role . The Japanese government passed a law in April 1992 allowing time off following the birth of a child for both male and female employees . In 1996 , 0 @.@ 16 % of Japanese fathers took time off of work to raise children . In South Korea , about 5 @,@ 000 men were stay @-@ at @-@ home dads in 2007 . Even so , stay @-@ at @-@ home dads face discrimination from stay @-@ at @-@ home mothers , and are often ostracized . 
 
 = = = = China = = = = 
 
 Beginning in the 2000s , the stay @-@ at @-@ home dad began to emerge as a role in China , though some remain uncomfortable with the way the role changes traditional family dynamics . Customs in China suggest that men must be the heads of their households . Stereotyping is an issue for stay @-@ at @-@ home dads , who sometimes prefer not to tell others about their family arrangement . Traditional ideas promote criticism of " woman @-@ like " men , and many feel that they would face humiliation and criticism for being stay @-@ at @-@ home dads . Others suppose they would be looked at as having a wife that is " too strong " . 
 
 = = = = North Korea = = = = 
 
 Until around 1990 , the North Korean state required every able @-@ bodied male to be employed by some state enterprise . However , some 30 % of married women of working age were allowed to stay at home as full @-@ time housewives ( less than some countries in the same region like South Korean \ Japan and Taiwan , more than Soviet Union \ Mainland China or Nordic countries like Sweden , about the same as Today 's USA ) . ) In the early 1990s , an estimated 600 @,@ 000 @-@ 900 @,@ 000 people perished in the famine , which was largely a product of the North Korean government 's unwillingness to reform the economy , and the old system began to fall apart . In some cases women began by selling household items they could do without or homemade food . Today at least three @-@ quarters of North Korean market vendors are women . A joke making the rounds in Pyongyang goes : ' What do a husband and a pet dog have in common ? ' Answer : ' Neither works nor earns money , but both are cute , stay at home and can scare away burglars.' 
 
 = = = India = = = 
 
 The role of the stay @-@ at @-@ home dad is not traditional in India , but it is socially accepted in urban areas . According to one sociologist 's study in 2006 , as much as three percent of all urban working fathers in India are stay @-@ at @-@ home dads , and twelve percent of unmarried Indian men would consider being a stay @-@ at @-@ home dad according to a survey conducted by Business Today . One sociologist Sushma Tulzhapurkar called this a shift in Indian society , saying that a decade ago , " it was an unheard concept and not to mention socially unacceptable for men to give up their jobs and remain at home . " However , only 22 @.@ 7 percent of Indian women are part of the labor force , compared to 51 @.@ 6 percent of men ; thus , women are more likely to be caregivers because most do not work outside the home . 
 
 = = = United Kingdom = = = 
 
 According to an article by the Daily Mail , the number of stay @-@ at @-@ home dads in 2007 had increased by 83 percent since 1993 . According to the same paper , in 2007 , recent figures from the Office for National Statistics showed more than 200 @,@ 000 fathers chose to stay at home and be the primary caregiver for their children . 
 In an interview published in the Radio Times in May 2013 Karren Brady made it plain she " could never be a housewife " . While she maintains a business career in London her husband Paul Peschisolido has the role of house @-@ husband though Brady collaborates in tasks at home to a certain extent . 
 
 = = = United States = = = 
 
 In 2008 , an estimated 140 @,@ 000 married fathers worked in the home as their children 's primary caregivers while their wives worked outside of the home to provide for the family . This number is less than the previous two years according to the US Census Bureau . In 2007 , stay @-@ at @-@ home dads made up approximately 2 @.@ 7 % of the nation 's stay @-@ at @-@ home parents . This is triple the percentage from 1997 , and has been consistently higher each year since 2005 . In 2006 , stay @-@ at @-@ home dads were caring for approximately 245 @,@ 000 children ; 63 % of stay @-@ at @-@ home dads had two or more children . These statistics only account for married stay @-@ at @-@ home dads ; there are other children being cared for by single fathers or gay couples . Also , it is difficult to ascertain how many of these stay @-@ at @-@ home dads have accepted the role voluntarily , and how many have been forced into it by the economic crisis of the late 2000s and early 2010s during which a great number of mostly @-@ male blue @-@ collar industries suffered significant losses and many previously employed men entered periods of prolonged unemployment . 
 
 = = Notable current and former stay @-@ at @-@ home dads = = 
 
 Jim Abel , American singer @-@ songwriter 
 Billy Ashley , American baseball player 
 Eric Betzig , 2014 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry 
 Michael Stephen Clark , American columnist 
 Chip Cravaack , American politician 
 Mike Duncan , American podcaster 
 Dan Klass , American actor , comedian and podcaster 
 John Lennon , British musician 
 Rick Moranis , Actor and comedian 
 Alex Vincent , American drummer 
 Mo Willems , American writer , animator , and creator of children 's books 
 
 