Things have certainly changed over the years. Some of the changes have been subtle that we don’t even really notice them until one day it just slaps you in the face. A good example is when you meet the CEO of a major company. Many years ago you took it for granted that it was a man that you’d be meeting. Not so much anymore and if you go into your meeting with that mindset you might end up being very surprised. Many roles in society have changed or evolved over the years. Most are accepted quite easily, but the stay at home dad isn’t one of those.

People seem to have a problem accepting this new role of the stay at home dad and it leads to social issues during the day for the dad. However, that’s only one thing that a stay at home dad has to contend with. There are pros and cons to the job and some are more accepting of their role in the family than others. Here you will see several confessions from stay at home dads and while some of them might not surprise you very much, others just might shock you to the core!

15. “I am the Master of the diaper”

Not many men grow up with dreams of being a stay at home dad. How many men do you think work all of those years to get a PhD just so they can kiss their wife goodbye each morning as SHE leaves the house to head in to work?

One dad admitted that he became the master of the diaper and came to the conclusion that he might just be the smartest master diaperer anywhere. Now that his kids are older he likes to tell them “Don’t get smart with me. Remember I changed your diaper, and maybe you need a new one right now.”

14. “Losing your mind is entirely possible”

Every new job is rough on the newbies, including the stay at home dad. One dad confessed “I’m a new stay at home dad. I’ve always worked but recent events have triggered a switch. How do the stay at home moms cope with always being at home.. I love my kids but I’m going out of my mind!”

It’s got to be a tough transition, to make that kind of change in your daily routine. If one is used to being gone all day and then forced to stay at home, with kids no less, it has got to be a very rough thing to get used to.

13. “This IS my job, and I like it!”

When people meet new people one of the first questions asked is what one does for a living. It’s a question that we all want to know and sometimes the answer we get is pretty surprising. Not as surprising though as when a man gives the answer of “Oh, I’m a stay at home dad!”

One dad said people quickly usually follow that question with something like “Oh, well what did you do before that?” He says that it doesn’t really matter because this is what he does now and he loves it. He admitted the most frustrating part of his job is that people just don’t understand the male being home.

12. “PSA To All the Mothers: Stop ignoring the dads at the park”

One stay at home dad admitted that while he wasn’t bothered at first when other mothers ignored him, it eventually began to bother him. After all, a trip to the park is an important part of any stay at home parent’s day. They can interact with other adults and the fresh air has got to be a nice thing to experience. However, when those other adults shun you because you are a man, well, that trip could be a lonely one.

The man admitted that even when he ran into other men in the park, they didn’t know how to talk to him. They were there as a time spending event with their children while he was there as his job. He said it was obvious to others and because of that they didn’t pay any attention to him.

11. “Don’t judge me for being a house husband”

We have made a lot of progress in the world over the last forty years or so. So many things are different and many of them we would not have ever dreamed of back in the day. Remember when there was no internet? No cell phones? No stay at home dads?

So many things have changed including the dynamic at home or in the workplace. There are plenty of women who hold positions of power now where this was never seen thirty or so years ago. One stay at home dads wants to know if all of these changes are accepted by society, why can’t they accept the stay at home dad? “Don’t judge me!”

10. “Please let me go to work instead!”

One stay at home dad confessed that the worst part of his day is watching his wife leave every morning. He said “Watching my wife leave for the day is probably the hardest part of the day. Without talking about it, I know she wishes she could stay at home instead of me.”

It’s probably more common than most people think. People are just wired a certain way and most men are wired to leave the house each day to fend for their family. Most women are wired to stay at home and guide their children in growing up. The nurturing ways are much stronger in females and it’s almost second nature to them, if not first.

9. “Cable guys can come whenever they want, I don’t mind”

Stay at home dads go through a lot of stress each day. They have a ton of things to do and as you would expect, some things take a higher priority than others. While some people get upset with the cable company when they receive a two hour time frame for the potential arrival of their local cable guy, the stay at home dad doesn’t mind one bit if they show up late, which is normal procedure.

One stay at home dad said “It’s never a problem when the cable company says they’ll show up.” Whenever they get there, no matter how late they are, the stay at home dad will be there expecting them. Where else is he going to be?

8. “Shopping during the day is actually awesome!”

One stay at home dad said that he loves to do his shopping during the day. “I love to do my food shopping in under populated supermarkets when respectable males are at work.” It makes perfect sense doesn’t it? The bulk of shopping is done at night when people are not at work. Males or females, it doesn’t really matter. You’ll find plenty of room to roam around a grocery store during the day and there isn’t ever anything wrong with that.

That goes for any store really. If a trip to the toy store is needed to replenish those broken pieces of amusement for your children, the aisles should be nice and empty there during the day as well.

7. “It’s the 21st century. Both parents share 50-50 responsibility”

When society thinks of stay at home moms, it’s only on the rare occasion when they also think about stay at home dads. So when you come across one of them it takes you aback for a moment as you try to wrap your head around it.

The moms think they have a monopoly on the “profession” but it’s becoming more and more equal as days go by. Sure, there will probably never be a 50-50 split among stay at home moms and dads but it’s growing ever closer with each passing day. Stay at home dads are people too and they want to be accepted for what they do. Don’t shun their kids from the merry-go-round; let them into your little world!

6. “I have no problem telling people that I’m a stay at home dad”

One stay at home dad says that he is actually proud of his kids and the job that he is doing raising them. Many won’t admit that they actually like what they do but every once in a while you’ll find one beaming with pride. This dad said “I’m a stay at home dad and while people still think it’s strange I wouldn’t change a thing. I adore my kids and I’m incredibly proud to watch them grow up as little shining lights.”

It may not be something that you hear a lot over at the local playground but at least now you know guys like this really do exist.

5. “I AM still a parent. Why Are People So Awkward Around Dads?”

When bringing the kids to the local playground a stay at home dad faces several obstacles. He’ll first have to learn the ways of the playground so his kids don’t break the rules and secondly he’ll have to find a way to be accepted by the mothers who are there. They don’t take kindly to a man invading their space.

However the same problem shouldn’t be run into while visiting a child’s teacher. During a meeting with a teacher, one stay at home dad was told that the teacher wasn’t exactly sure how to talk to the dad about his child. Before angrily walking away he told her “Just as you would talk to any parent!”

4. “I quit my job and I’d do it again”

Some stay at home dads are very happy with what plays out inside their homes every day. A lot of situations are dictated for families based on loss of a job or income due to downsizing or whatever. That’s not always the case though. There are plenty of dads that stay at home because it’s a decision that was made between them and their wife. This dad admitted that he purposely quit his job and he has no regrets what so ever. “I quit a 90k job two years ago to be a stay at home dad. Best decision I’ve ever made. Pure happiness!”

3. “Honestly, It gets really boring sometimes”

Being a stay at home dad comes with a lot of stress as most days are packed full of “fun” things that are going on. But it’s not always nonstop action. There are plenty of times that things are nice and calm and quiet around the house. This can lead to boredom to set in for a dad, unless he takes up interest in the daytime soap operas.

One stay at home dad confessed that he bugs his wife while she is working hard to support her family. He wrote “I text bomb my hardworking wife at work way more than I should (I shouldn’t at all).” At least he realizes that what he does is wrong.

2. “Yes, my toenails ARE painted!”

One stay at home dad confessed that he loves to play with his kids and he doesn’t mind doing anything they like to do. That includes when his daughter wants to paint his fingernails or toenails. “I am not afraid to walk around in sandals with pink toenails. I prefer the manly colors when my daughters paint them… but she looks so cute asking to paint them pink. That’s right pink toenails and full beard. Are you judging me?”

If you were to run into him and saw this, it would be pretty obvious why he was looking that way. All you could do is tip your cap to him and say “Great job dad! Keep it up!”

1. “It’s stressful but well worth it”

We all hope our kids will grow up and be a good contributor to our society. Some parents are lucky to have that happen and some aren’t so lucky. It’s never a proud topic to discuss your son’s seventeen drug arrests or your daughter’s six shoplifting arrests.

One stay at home dad confesses that the stress is pretty rough but in the end, to this point in life, his daughter has made it worthwhile. “I cry a lot… Am I parenting the right way? Am I screwing them up or am I doing a good job? I never know until my daughter is polite to strangers and they see the little lady that shines through.”