More from Hogan Hilling...this is an update to the previous post on this topic (http://www.athomedad.org/node/235)

Authentic Entertainment (http://www.authentictv.com/) has agreed to move forward with the production of an At-Home Dad Documentary. However, please be aware that Authentic could pull the plug at anytime during the production. The bright side is that The Learning Channel (TLC) has a time slot they are looking to fill in September which increases the chances for the completion of this project.

For those at-home dads interested in participating read on.

Authentic is looking for intriguing at-home dad stories. At the end of this post is a list provided by the producers with descriptions of the kinds of at-home dad stories that would be compelling (no particular order, and clearly the list could go on).

Please note that the list is only a sampling, but hopefully it will give you a sense of the scope and variety Authentic is interested in. If you have an intriguing story that doesn’t fall into one of the categories listed below, please submit it. If it is compelling enough, the producers will consider using it in the documentary.

Also, with all of these stories, Authentic is interested in not only the individual experience (as the points below indicate) but also the communal one — experiences within one’s community, particularly within one’s circle of SAH parents (male and female) — playgroups and the like. In other words, we’d like to hear not only about unique home situation as SAHD’s but also about experiences, both positive and negative, out in the world at large and out in the world of parents. Both perspectives are important.

At this point I’m want to collect as many interesting SAHD stories as possible.

Please be succinct and limit what you have to say to 500 words or less. Email your submission with your full contact information to hilling@roadrunner.com no later than February 25, 2007.

Aside from the intriguing stories, Authentic also has an interest in capturing the dads during their playgroup time interacting with the kids. Therefore, I will need to know if any of the current At-Home Dad Playgroups has an interest in being a part of this documentary.

Here is the list:

*expecting dad (first-time dad, or “veteran” non-SAHD dad, or both) contemplating becoming SAHD for the first time — the perceived upsides, downsides, etc

*dad who’s continuing a family SAHD tradition (i.e. who was raised by his dad) — and perhaps who’s also able to have regular contact with this dad (lives in the same town), to create a multi-generational effect

*first-time SAHD — dealing with a newborn (and multiples — twins, triplets, etc — would definitely make this even more interesting)

*SAHD with multiple (3/4/5) kids of different ages (or, again, with actual multiples mixed in, a la Felicity Huffman’s character’s family in DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES)

*various situations that might alter or possibly raise the emotional stakes — for example, an adoption, or a child who is disabled

*formerly blue-collar SAHD — grappling with issues of going from a really “masculine” job to the more “feminine” job of child-raising

*formerly white-collar SAHD — grappling with going from a more socially valued job (at least for a man) to a less socially valued job

*SAHD who also works part-time from home

*SAHD dealing with a largely absent spouse (work travel, military service, etc)

*SAHD where the husband is more comfortable than the wife with the notion/prospect AND/OR reality/day-to-day of the SAHD situation — and of course the reverse, where the husband is really struggling

*(a generalization of the above thought) SAHD who finds his marriage currently challenged by this situation (NOTE: I imagine that, most of the time, all of this stuff works itself out and that the marriage winds up better, but it would be interesting to find a family in the throes of hashing out new roles etc)

*SAHD who’s coming to the end of his “tenure” - you’re starting to foresee “empty nest” syndrome — you face something a lot of traditional moms face, but obviously it’s going to be different for you