Six. Yes six. As in one more than five. That’s how many American men identified themselves as “stay-at-home” fathers in the 1970s.
Now, some forty years later, that number has increased to 1.9 million dads, or 16 percent of the stay-at-home population, according to a Huffington Post analysis of census data.
The reasons behind this are many. In the 1970s, most women were just joining the workforce; now, in many cases we’re running things. Gender equality has been on the rise since the 70s, as has the flexibility of working hours. And men now more than ever no longer feel threatened by not punching the clock.
Stay-at-home dads are also closing the income gap with their stay-at-home mom counterparts. One of the overwhelming factors is exactly what you’d think: money.
Even though many families choose to have dad stay home because of economic conditions, fathers are getting the chance to play a different part in their kid’s lives – the role of primary caregiver. And many are finding the experience to be more than they could have ever dreamed.
