I hope you live somewhere REEEEALY cheap -- like maybe on a mountain....in a cabin.....growing and hunting for all of your food...using the skins for clothing...and bedding.

Sorry, just in a smart-ass kinda mood. If you can make it happen, then God bless ya.

My answers:

1. 6 years as of April, '07.
2. Presbyterian
3. Just under 80, paid out over the 10-month school year, with whatever we've saved and what I can bring in each summer, which ain't much on both counts.
4. "Active" in the 1970's meant something else. We went fishing, I helped him paint the house, we built pinewood derby cars in Cub Scouts. My father never helped me with homework, I never saw him vacuum, and the only thing he ever really cooked was steak. "Active" is in the eye of the generation. He only became a real SOB during my teen years, and the family lost contact with him several years ago.
5. Only online. There is one active NJ dad group I know of, but they are not nearby.
6. It took a few years to adjust. I've done much better as a preschool and kindergarten parent than I did as a parent of an infant. Actually, I'm quite good at it now.
7. 41, 41, 6
8. I've always done something, even if it's just for gas money. First it was web design, then ebay consignment sales, and now tutoring, both online and in person.
9. Witnessing and absorbing everything -- helping at school, reading at bedtime, learning with my daughter...I could go on and on. It's all the things I would miss with a traditional job. There's also the long-term belief that my daughter will be a different woman from having Dad home. I doubt she'll put up with a guy who won't do the dishes, so to speak.
10. The subtle discrimination, and the unending isolation.
11. No, not a bit.
12. Grown up time? I guess I get it during school hours, or after bath&bed. We've used sitters only sporadicly, mostly because DW's job is so exhausting, she's usually asleep by 8pm, along with DD!

Phaze-3
Parenting While Male

Yes I was 15 when I had my first child. My current wife is not the mother....the mother was 15 also, I have custody, and she doesn't pay her child support. =( (there are dead beat mothers out there too)

40 grand a year.....
Not really a big deal, although I rounded down too much, it's more like 45k year. food is our biggest bill 1k a month, all of our other bills combined only = 2k a month, so we are even able to save a lot. I think it's all in how you prioritize your spending. And no, we don't get government assistance.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE REPLIES

1) How long have you been a SAHD? Almost 4 years (Wow, how time flies)

2) What is your religious affiliation? Methodist

3) What is your family's annual income (approximately) 70K

4) Was your father active in your home? Yep, he was awesome!!

5) Do you participate in Dad's groups? I did in Kansas, and I am trying to get something started now that I am in Denver, but a really good Mom's group is keeping me from being as dedicated as I could be

6) Were you prepared for the life of SAHD or did it take a while to adjust? I was ready for it, it was a choice for us, but the isolation took a little to get used to.

7) How old are you? Your spouse? Kids? 35, 37, 5, 4, 2

8) Do you work part time? I have worked as a Lighting and Sound guy for the churches that I have gone to (that used to be what I did full time) but it is a fine line to find the point of diminishing returns, where the amount of time spent away takes away from the quality of life increase that SAHDing provides.

9) What is you favorite part of being a SAHD? Playing with the kids and having the time to "pamper" my wife.

10) What is your least favorite part of being a SAHD? Diapers (but hopefully not to much longer, one down, one almost there)

11) Do you have any outside support? A very good local moms group, the KCDADS emails (I still get them even if I am not there), and of course athomedad.org

12) How often do you get out of the house? for grown up time? I try to schedule some type of trip everyday (grocery, playgroup, pre-school) if for no other reason than to make sure I get everyone dressed, and for grown-up time, I have a band that I am in that meets every two weeks, and generally find something else to do on the off weeks, I think being able to get out of the house is one of the things that keeps me sane and happy.

Doug Brown
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Denver_Dad/

1) How long have you been a SAHD?

it'll be six years come june

2) What is your religious affiliation?

12 yrs. of catholic school broke me.
i'm into pantheism these days.

3) What is your family's annual income (approximately)

50K

4) Was your father active in your home?

sorta. he was very active in coaching my brothers and sisters and was elemental in starting a boys club in the area when i was a mere tot. he also was a high school football referee. so he was definitely part of afterschool life/weekends... just don't get in the way of him reading the paper!
5) Do you participate in Dad's groups?

nope. they're almost nonexistent here although in the last six months i've run into a good half dozen new stay at home dads.

6) Were you prepared for the life of SAHD or did it take a while to adjust?

it took a long while to adjust. i've got it down to a science now though.

7) How old are you? Your spouse? Kids?

38. 39. two boys 6 and 3.

8) Do you work part time?

yes. i work in the world of catering on weekends. it's seasonal at best.

9) What is you favorite part of being a SAHD?

as crazy as it sounds, just being with my kids. it is priceless when they draw me pictures, give me high fives or randomly bust out the "i love you dad." of course, i could do w/o the whining...

10) What is your least favorite part of being a SAHD?

there's no vacation. or even sick days.

11) Do you have any outside support?

not much. do have some friends and family in the area but i wasn't born and raised where i currently live.

12) How often do you get out of the house? for grown up time?

once a week i have band practice. every wednesday. and i had to fight tooth & nail for that time. maybe once a month the wife and i will get out w/o the kids

1) 9 months and counting

2) Catholic

3) mid 80's

4) absolutely not

5) i would if there were some in my area

6) adjusted, the wife traveled alot prior to the current move so having the kids be dependent on my was old hat

7) 33, 32, 9, 6, 3

8) nope

9) being around my kids, a being a major influence in there lives.

10) lack of adult interaction, guilt of spending money on myself, where as when i had a job if i bought say some dvds it was no big deal cause of the 2 incomes. now though its like i need to justify the spending (even though there is not tention on who makes the money)

11) non local, but family is 2 hours or so away

12) when ever possible, however its may once a week, but then its mostly running to the store without my entourage

I should have my rough draft done this coming week. I'll be posting the paper after I edit it, (a lot). The dotcor is pretty picky.

BY the Way. Did anyone see the article on MSN.com about, "Why I love my alpha wife." and Why I left my stay-at-home husband behind." The first was ok, But my gosh the second one Sucked, what a stuck up @#$%!.

THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE THAT REPLIED!!!