Househusband/stay at home Daddy

My DiL's BiL goes to a father and child club in The Netherlands where it seems to be quite normal for father's to work 4 days a week and look after their child on one. They have loads of fun.

Could he go on Mumsnet and see if he can find any others like him to share their expereinces?

He has done that, there are a few others but spread all over the UK, he wants some local ones. The Netherlands has always been streets ahead with this sort of thing.

dorset when I was doing the toddler groups with DGD before she started Nursery there were a few Dads who went to the meetings, we (the Grandmas) all chatted to them but they did keep themselves to themselves. I cant say what the attitude of the younger Mums were towards the Dads. But I say if being a House husband works for them good for him taking that role on.

I think the MUMs just want to speak to another woman. I know my daughters hung around with the women they went to the ante-natal courses with, especially with the first baby. They didn't have the need later on. It is phase.

In Denmark there are a lot of men employed in Kindergarten. I saw lines of little children walking in Copenhagen with a man at the front and at the back. that would be unusual sight in Germany. Goodluck to your son. My SIL would like to be at home but my daughter is not as established careerwise.

I also prefer women's company, always have done, although I have a lovely DH at home.

Used to run pre-schools years ago and we had quite a strict view on the idea of parents helping at least one session a half term. If there was a jolly good reason we were flexible of course. We had several children who spent more time with Dad or Grandma and we always encouraged them to be the 'Mum' helper. We had a couple of regular Dad helpers who were a huge hit with the children and we know both Dads really enjoyed their time with us. Men in a pre-school environment a of huge benefit - in fact my daughter takes her son to one run by a young Dad and he loves it. Can your son offer to do something similar at your GC's pre-school? The staff may be just waiting for him to speak up.

HildaW I will mention this to him. By the way all the staff at these groups he goes to are very supportive and friendly, they really like chatting to him. It's the younger ones. I do understand they want to talk with other women but a 'hello' , 'how are you getting on' etc would be nice. As I said in my first comments people spoke to me when I went with him, never to him.

Think it may just depend on the people! I have taken DGS to stay and play groups and there have been dads there and they seemed to mix as well as any other mums who were 'new' and did not turn up with a friend!

What a super son you have there Dorsetpennt. He sounds a great Dad.

Thank you tattyann he is a super son, I am so proud of him and his little girls are a testament to his skills as a dad. love your nom de plume by the way

your DS is lucky dorset that he has a good wife, as she is to have him. My DS agreed to a similar arrangement (whilst also being gainfully employed, but not as gainfully as his wife). The DCs are now at school and now his wife is divorcing him, she has closed the joint account and has asked him to leave the family home. I can assure you that the grounds for her dissatisfaction with him as a husband are so flimsy and unjustifiable. But she's facing 40 and thinks of herself as a concealed attraction. Fathers and mothers should always watch their backs in this situation and make sure that their position is secure. My DS trusted his wife and now he wishes he hadn't.

I think perhaps that this is also a "male" thing. Men just do not seem to have the ability or the desire to chat to strangers. They feel that they must be introduced properly before they can have a conversation whereas most of us "ladies" chat to all and sundry

Dorsetpenny, am glad the staff are doing the right thing. Heres to more Dads getting involved - and keep up the good work supporting your son!