Stay-at-home dads, long outnumbered by stay-at-home moms, were on the rise before Covid. As of 2017, stay-at-home dads made up 17% of all stay-at-home parents, a 10% growth since 1989. That number had likely grown by 2020.
During the pandemic, with families forced to be at home during social isolation and with the numerous layoffs, it’s likely that even more dads have transitioned to full-time parenthood, though we don’t have firm data on that yet.
The big takeaway is that fatherhood is changing in America, and the pandemic has only expedited that change. Fathers are staying home more. They are more hands-on with parental duties, spending double the amount of time caring for their children per week than fathers did in the sixties.
Yet, many fathers feel lost when it comes to parenting. Just because the gender gap is closing, doesn’t mean we’re keeping up. A quick search online will show you there are far more support groups, community groups, and resources for stay-at-home moms than for stay-at-home dads.
One survey found that 60% of stay-at-home dads want more information about how to be a better parent. Seventy percent say they would implement more positive parenting strategies if they knew what they were.
These surveys and data are emerging now, but I’ve known this about fathers for some time.
In 2006, I wrote a book called Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters. It became a global bestseller. Dads everywhere were impacted. Here’s why: it helped fathers see themselves through their daughters’ eyes. But there was a problem.
The book gave information that was eye-opening for dads, but it didn’t show them what to do with that information. Dads weren’t given the practical tools and action steps they needed to apply what they learned. For the last 15 years, I’ve received messages from parents saying, “I love your book! But now what do I do?”
This is why I created the Strong Fathers Strong Daughters Masterclass that just became available in time for Father’s Day.
This class will give dads, whether they are stay-at-home or not, the information they need about how to be better fathers and practice positive parenting with their daughters—a relationship that is often strained for dads as their daughters get older.
The class is made up of ten modules. You can watch or listen to them (podcast-style) at your own pace. Each module covers a different topic, everything from how to be your daughter’s hero to how to keep her safe to how to teach her to make good decisions. You can access the course here.
Moms, this is a perfect last-minute Father’s Day gift for your husband. He can have immediate access to it. When you use the code STRONGDAD at checkout, you can get $30 off the course, a deal that is only available until June 30 so act now. Click here to buy the course today.
If more and more dads are assuming a more hands-on parenting role as we’ve seen in homes across the country, they need support. They need resources, rather than every resource being directed at moms. This is what I hope the Strong Fathers Strong Daughters Masterclass will do: equip dads so they feel as capable as their female counterparts to be the best parent they can be.
