Stay At Home Dads Survival Tips An Interview With Alan Harshman

    MaiMai News - SUPPLY, NC, July 18, 2008 - As millions feel the "middle class crunch," more and more fathers are considering becoming stay at home dads, or work at home dads. Alan Harshman, founder of the 'Stay At Home Dads Survival' website, was recently interviewed at the Total Success Now blog regarding a subject that has causes some fathers a bit of trepidation, while striking fear into the hearts of many others - the day-to-day survival of the 'stay at home dad' (SAHD).

More and more fathers have made the decision to become stay at home dads. There is no single set of reasons - they are as varied as the fathers are - however the reasons could be said to be primarily financial and emotional. A secondary reason for the trend is the fact that truly high-quality childcare is hard to come by and can cost a small fortune.

Some stay at home dads choose to remain at home because of rising expenses related to working outside the home, or because they realize that their children will be young for only a very short time and they wish to see and be a part of their child's learning and growing experience. Some fathers find themselves unemployed, and realize that it makes sense on every level for them to stay home with their children. Predictions indicate that millions of men may make the move to being at home as costs continue to rise. Many will earn an income from home, changing the face of the workplace.

"Today's stay-at-home dads are changing the world," said Mr. Harshman, "and as many as 2.5 million fathers in the US provide at least part of their children's childcare. It has been said that up to 75% of dads would stay home with their kids if they thought they could. More and more fathers are deciding to stay home with their children for many reasons. Fathers are more involved than ever before, which is great, because children who have involved fathers experience many benefits - they are healthier, have more self-esteem and confidence, and are less likely to use drugs or engage in sex and other risky behavior."

The information that a new stay at home dad will need on a daily basis can be quite hard to come by, as young men are generally not well schooled in the fine art of child rearing. "When I started looking for information on being a stay at home dad," said Mr. Harshman, "I just could not find all of the information I needed. It's hard to find and there isn't any one authoritative source of information. There are some books out now, but most of them read like memoirs and entertain - they are not like the survival guides that some men really need. The websites that are out there are more like support groups and forums; they serve as a place for dads to chat, but most they don't give large quantities of practical, applicable information. Those sites are great for what they do, and I am a member of some of them, but dads need more - they need something that is much more than a book. They need Survival Guides."

The interview can be found at the Total Success Now site at http://heavenonearthsystem.blogspot.com. More information on surviving as a stay at home dad, including free tips, lessons and e-courses, are available at the Stay At Home Dad Survival website at http://www.sahdsurvival.com.

About Stay At Home Dad Survival

As the father of three special-needs children, and as a stay at home dad, Alan Harshman is in a position to help other dads. In addition to his personal experience, he has performed extensive research on the subject of stay at home dads and has learned volumes during his seven years as a parent. His website provides a wealth of information for those of either gender who find themselves in need of solid parenting skills.