Thinking of becoming a house husband? It’s not an easy decision, so get the answers to your questions here before deciding.
In this article:
- What’s A House Husband?
- What Does A House Husband Do?
- How Do People See A House Husband?
- Why Should I Be A House Husband?
- How Do I Become A House Husband?
Becoming A House Husband | What To Look Forward To
What’s A House Husband?
Simply put, a house husband is a rather “untraditional” dynamic in family rearing, but one that is steadily gaining traction as more and more young couples are opening their minds to it. The old gender role of the man taking the reins as the breadwinner isn’t obsolete, but it’s not a requirement now. More and more men are choosing to become stay-at-home husbands. Yes, it’s going to be the man doing the chores, raising the kids, cooking the meals. Yes, this includes generally keeping the house running for the wife and kids.
What Does A House Husband Do?
You remember all those 50s-era stereotypes of the woman in the kitchen, wrestling with the kids? What about scenes of the fairer sex doing the laundry, going grocery shopping, or perhaps picking out curtains? Yes, men can do that, too. In fact, it’s an expectation for house husbands. If you want to simplify it, take everything the old-school housewife does and make a guy do it. Whatever your wife does on a daily basis while you’re off at work, expect to assume all those tasks.
There is also the issue of taking care of the kids. While most men think their relationship with their kids only goes as far as the daily play session and worrying about college tuition fees, house husbands do it a lot differently. They raise the kids, a task traditionally delegated to women. Everything from taking them to school, preparing their lunches, and even changing the diapers becomes your job. Playdates, princess parties, school bake sales, and Little League games become your domain.
How Do People See A House Husband?
You’d be surprised that many people don’t seem to understand the concept of being a house husband. A primary concern would be other men, of course. Some may see being a stay-at-home dad (SAHD) as emasculating. If you want to be one, you have to be prepared for the shade that may potentially come with it.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a stay-at-home dad. Some just choose to be a homebody, raising the kids, and taking care of the home. It’s basically the same traditional roles — one is a breadwinner, while one holds down the fort. It’s just that the traditional gender roles are reversed this time.
Why Should I Be A House Husband?
This is a question a lot of men find hard to answer. Why should they be a SAHD, when there’s so much misunderstanding about it? The truth, however, is that it takes a lot of thought between husband and wife (or husband and husband!)
The decision will entirely be up to both of you. Is your partner a breadwinner who’s making enough for the whole family? Is their career taking off? If so, becoming a stay-at-home parent might be a way for you to support them.
Running a house is no joke — between bills, keeping everything stocked, and making sure the kids are growing up right. It’s a huge undertaking and one that shouldn’t be seen lightly. Recent reports have shown that mothers and homemakers carry tasks and responsibilities worth thousands of dollars each year if you outsourced those same duties to other people.
How Do I Become A House Husband?
If you’re looking to become a house husband, there’s a lot of work to do. The first step to becoming a house husband is to sit and have a good, long talk with your partner about it.
Income will be a top priority — are they making enough for the family, or would you need to take a part-time job or start a business to pitch in? Another thing to consider is how well-versed you are when it comes to household chores. And it’s not just about the cleaning and cooking, it’s also about income taxes, mortgage payments, maintenance, and everything else that comes with owning a home.
Finally, you have to consider your children. Will you be able to take care of them? Taking on this task will never be easy; in fact, it might get even harder as time goes by. You have to be mentally and physically prepared for the rigors of homekeeping!
Most men are hopeless with cleaning — but this video from The Advisers might help!
Being a house husband is never an easy decision. You should stop thinking that it’s just about not working and staying at home, because it is so much more than that. If you do choose to take this all the way, be sure to have a good understanding with your partner with the responsibilities it entails.
Are you a house husband with a story to share? Tell us all about it in the comments.
Up Next: 7 Reasons Why Being A Stay-At-Home Dad Is The Best Job Ever
And if you want additional excitement try it with teenager girls and boys, a foreign exchange student and a child with Special needs and medical concerns. Now we’re really talking. Although it’s taken it’s toll and introduced fresh drama daily it’s totally worth it! I love it!
My girl decided she wanted to get a job and well day care etc is far too darn expensive so, I was the one up on the “chopping block”…lol….I raised my daughter for about 9 years alone so I had some experience already…..soon she’ll be 18 and going off to university….I have 2 step sons as well and me and my girl have a 3 year old together….3 teens an toddler and me…..fun times……lol…