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In the course of nearly ten years of being a stay at home dad by default I have learned a few things. Call it a parenting course based on my on the job training.

5) You are Dad. That means a lot, don’t shirk your responsibilities. You will have to turn off your xbox or step away from the computer to watch Sesame Street and smile when you would rather strangling that fucking Elmo. Putting on the right face is part of the job.

4) You are Dad. Don’t try and be Mom. It will never work. It doesn’t matter if your child has no mother or even another Dad, if you try and be Mom you will fail horribly. Be Dad and be a good Dad, it is all anyone could ever ask or expect.

3) You are a stay at home dad, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to work. Don’t put up with any crap from people who think you don’t work. If you are doing your job right, you will work your ass off every day. If you happen to have a secondary job to being the stay at home parent, remember that it is always secondary to the job of being the stay at home Dad.

2) Show your respect for the person going off to the job that lets you be a stay at home Dad. Don’t, however let them get away with shoving off all their responsibilities of being a parent and living in the house off on you though. You are a stay at home Dad, not their personal servant. Even if you are into that sort of role playing, remember it is when the kids have gone to bed and you are allowed a temporary reprieve.

1) Realize until your kids are in school all day long five days a week your free time is limited, so make the best use of it you can. i recommend napping every time they do.