House husband (partner)

alberto67

I like the idea of being a house husband (partner) if it's affordable, for a year or two. I think it would be nice to be able to stay at home and take care of your child(ren), do the shopping, housekeeping and any other duties while your wife (partner) is at work.

It would be a good thing for her to come back home after a day of work and have everything ready and be able to spend some time with her family without worrying about any other stuff.



What do you think?

Gatling

Do it if you can afford it

alchemist33

Definitely. It wouldn't work too well for us because of the difference in pay (and the mortgage to be paid off) but if my wife suddenly got a higher paying, full-time job I'd have no issue with being a house husband.

andekwarhola

Get the feeling though that some lads think it's a Benetton advert as opposed to a tough, unpaid job

Gatling

andekwarhola wrote: »

Get the feeling though that some lads think it's a Benetton advert as opposed to a tough, unpaid job

Done it for the the last 4 years while the wife went back to education , definitely not a easy job and can be quite alienating and lonely

Pwindedd

alberto67 wrote: »

I like the idea of being a house husband (partner) if it's affordable, for a year or two. I think it would be nice to be able to stay at home and take care of your child(ren), do the shopping, housekeeping and any other duties while your wife (partner) is at work.

It would be a good thing for her to come back home after a day of work and have everything ready and be able to spend some time with her family without worrying about any other stuff.



What do you think?

It can be very rewarding work - especially if it's appreciated by your working spouse - but it's mind numbingly dull. You'd need a good support network of friends and family, and the patience of a saint. Rainy days are torturous, as is daytime TV. But knock yourself out...two years ??? I give you 3 months ;-)

tomwaterford

I'd imagine you'd eventually crack up,stuck talking to children all day

Odyssey 2005

Gatling wrote: »

Done it for the the last 4 years while the wife went back to education , definitely not a easy job and can be quite alienating and lonely

Agreed. 10 years now and it's definitely alienating and lonely. The other side is the the kids are happier .

riffmongous

Playstation and Boards all day, every day?

Burial.

OP is whipped bad.

One eyed Jack

alberto67 wrote: »

I like the idea of being a house husband (partner) if it's affordable, for a year or two. I think it would be nice to be able to stay at home and take care of your child(ren), do the shopping, housekeeping and any other duties while your wife (partner) is at work.

It would be a good thing for her to come back home after a day of work and have everything ready and be able to spend some time with her family without worrying about any other stuff.



What do you think?

If you like the idea, talk it over with your wife before coming to a decision that works for you both.

I personally wouldn't have any interest in doing it myself, but whatever works for a family is the most important thing Imo.

leggo

I'd love this too. Many of my happiest days were spent with either my sister or my ex's kid, doing school runs, playing on the green and all that craic. I found the little things inherent so rewarding.

The only thing I'd hate is having to be financially dependent on someone, I don't know if I could do that. But if I could find a job that paid enough where I could work at home on my own time (e.g. writing, what I want to do too), then I'd absolutely do it. I hate the idea of missing 8 hours of my future kids' waking moments, 5 days a week, I want to be there for as much as I can.

leggo

Don't get me wrong, I don't judge anyone who does, it's necessary for most and likely will be for me...it's just not something I'd particularly like, having cre workers spend more time with my children in their formative years than I would.

And, don't get me wrong, I've my eyes wide open regarding how hard it'd be too. It's not a decision I'd make lightly.

bee06

My husband is always saying (jokingly I think) that he wants to be a house husband after our baby is born. Currently thinking that instead of me taking unpaid leave at the end of my maternity leave that he could take a few months parental leave instead to give him a taster.

Loveinapril

It is something we discussed in the past as I earn more than my husband. In reality I don't think it would work..or it would work but there would be a rocky road to it. He gets so distracted so I can imagine the washing and dishes would pile up while he spends hours messing with the baby!

I am looking forward to my upcoming maternity leave but I know I will be happy to go back to work after our (first) baby arrives. I know it's not the same, but I was a childminder years ago and it bored me to tears to 'just' be cleaning, cooking and minding kids all day. It is tough work but feckin boring!

ceadaoin.

I think it's great if you can afford it and if it works for your family. I don't see how anyone could ever come to regret spending those early years with their child/children. They go so fast anyway

peckerhead

Do it. The kids will benefit, and you'll appreciate your wife more after it.

You do have a wife and kids, right?

Rumpy Pumpy

Know of a guy who took on the role recently. He thinks it's going to involve watching daytime TV, drinking wine, and going for snoozes when the kids go for snoozes. He has also boasted that he can now have a **** during the day and not feel guilty in work about it. He's been warned that there's probably far more to it than that, but he just laughs and refuses to listen.

MadDog76

Did it myself for just over 3 years ............ to be honest it was a walk in the park, the most relaxing stress-free 3 years of my "working" life.

irishgrover

MadDog76 wrote: »

Did it myself for just over 3 years ............ to be honest it was a walk in the park, the most relaxing stress-free 3 years of my "working" life.

I've no reason whatsoever not to believe this post, and I do believe it. However it really does highlight that there is no real answer. It primarily depends on the individual and how they are organised or react to their circumstance.
For some, I imagine it will be very challenging and lonely and boring, for others it will be a walk in the park...

dar100

Being doing it for 10 months now, and I can tell you it is the hardest thing I've ever done. It has broke me!! But, you drag yourself up each morning and struggle through!! Very very isolating and lonely, sense of meaning and identity challenged daily! The youngest (their 5 and 6 ) is starting school next month so I will be going back to work! I'm happy now that I done it, however it is the hardest job I've done and I can't see anything ever coming close to it

dar100

irishgrover wrote: »

I've no reason whatsoever not to believe this post, and I do believe it. However it really does highlight that there is no real answer. It primarily depends on the individual and how they are organised or react to their circumstance.
For some, I imagine it will be very challenging and lonely and boring, for others it will be a walk in the park...

If it's just one child well behaved then I suspect it would be a walk in park!! Try two kids close in age, stuck in house most the day and I promise that walk in the park will turn to walk on dark side

SEPT 23 1989

I would frown upon it

ceadaoin.

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

I would frown upon it

Why?

FizzleSticks

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Neames

Tough gig, but very worthwhile if you can afford it.

I'm not sure I would be able for it, for the last number of years I've taken a month off work for the Summer holidays to look after junior (she's 9 now). We both enjoy the time together, but by the end of the month it's nice to get back to the work routine.

Tempted a few times to do it myself - the kids are 6 and 3 at the moment. Soon to be 7 and 3.5. Can not imagining it being boring or isolating at all from my side. Quite the opposite. I reckon it will only be as boring or exciting - isolating or freeing - as I allow it to be. I do not think I would let myself fall into the ruts and patterns that would make it that boring or isolating.

MadDog76

irishgrover wrote: »

I've no reason whatsoever not to believe this post, and I do believe it. However it really does highlight that there is no real answer. It primarily depends on the individual and how they are organised or react to their circumstance.
For some, I imagine it will be very challenging and lonely and boring, for others it will be a walk in the park...

I think a lot of it has to do with mindset ............ for me it was part job (cleaning, shopping, cooking etc.) and the rest was fun (spending time with your kids, watching them learn, helping them to develop etc.) so I'd doggedly get the work done as efficiently and quickly as possible then enjoy the rest of the time with my kids.

Some people see it as a job and, like any job, you're eventually going to become bored, frustrated and bitter doing the same job over and over with no end in sight made worse by the kids "getting in the way!" ............. others see it as a "wonderfully joyous experience" but then get bogged down by the realisation that there's also a bit of work involved ........... for me it was an easy part-time "job" with a lot of time leftover to enjoy with my children.

mahamageehad

I'm still child free, but I think if I was pregnant tomorrow it'd be 50/50 who takes the stay at home role. I think I would first for a few months, then he would. My current salary would be significantly higher than his, so it makes sense for the highest earner to be our earning. Plus I'd go stir crazy in the house all day every day!!! :O If you can afford it, go for it, but don't expect it to be a walk in the park. Also, depending on how old fashioned your families are, prepare for some jibes.

andekwarhola

FizzleSticks wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Why don't you pat him on the head as well?

Permabear

This post has been deleted.