Number of stay-at-home dads has DOUBLED in past decade as 'man-cession' bites

Not too long ago, a father who chose to stay at home with kids while his wife went back to work after childbirth was something of an anomaly, opening the doors on countless Mr Mom jokes, but nowadays, a growing numbers of dads wear the moniker as a badge of honor.

Nationwide, the number of stay-at-home fathers - while still relatively small - has more than doubled in the past decade. There were only about 81,000 Mr Moms in 2001, or about 1.6 per cent of all stay-at-home parents.



By last year, the number had climbed to 176,000, or 3.4 per cent of stay-at-home fathers, according to U.S. Census data.

Daddy dearest: A new study by Boston College found that the number of stay-at-home fathers has gone from 1.6 per cent in 2001 to 3.4 per cent last year

While the recession that has left millions of American men unemployed has undoubtedly had something to do with the trend, according to the results of a new study by Boston College, the rise may be more due to choices and evolving gender roles of parents.

‘The hype around stay-at-home dads is due to the ‘man-cession’ but the census data shows that during the economic downturn the numbers were down,’ Brad Harrington, research professor and executive director of Boston College’s Center for Work and Family, told FoxNews.com .



He cited a recent study done by the center called, ‘The New Dad: Right at Home.’



‘We found a distinction from dads who were laid-off and those who chose to leave their jobs,’ he said.

Man-cession: Experts say the rise in Mr Moms may be more due to choices and evolving gender roles of parents than high unemployment numbers

The Boston College study found that men who stay at home with their children do so most often by choice, guided by pragmatic and economic considerations.

A growing number of couples reach that decision together after taking a careful look at which of the spouses earns more money and has the more promising career.



Nolan Kido, aged 32, of Boston, has become the main caregiver for his 11-week-old daughter as his wife completes her dental education.



Original Mr Mom: In the 1983 comedy, Michale Keaton portrays a clueless dad who was laid off and is forced to become a stay-at-home father

He deferred work on his doctoral degree in accounting after doing some recession-era math: his earning power versus her earning power in the face of more than $360,000 in student loans.

‘At the very beginning they were a little weirded out, like what do we talk about, what's the common themes, but now the impression that I get more is actually jealousy,’ he said of his working dad friends. ‘It's not, like, mean kinds of things but just, `Oh, I wish I could stay home' or `Oh, I'd love to go to that park.’’

And in addition to factors such as maximizing household income and avoiding expensive day care, more fathers than ever before relish the idea of playing a greater role in the rearing of their children.



Whereas it was once common for the father of the house to be a distant figure, working long hours at the office and having little interaction with his children, now it appears that dads want to be more present in the day-to-day lives of their kids.



‘It just makes better sense in some situations,' said Lance Somerfeld, founder of the NYC Dads Group , a New York-based social group of nearly 600 at-home fathers. ‘Any dad is truly capable of being an at-home dad if they have the support and the means to do it.’

Money talks: Some families reach the decision to have the father stay with the kids if the wife's salary is higher

‘I embrace the role. To be there early and often for my child’s life,’ added Somerfeld, also a former teacher who took an extended leave of absence to care for his four-year-old son, Jake. ‘My wife loves it because she is able to pursue advancement in her career.’



Just as society has - slowly- embraced women as equals in the workplace, Harrington said it is accepting that fathers can be just as nurturing when it comes to being caregivers.



‘It’s really about who is in a better position,’ Harrington said. ‘It’s a pragmatic approach being made by many couples.’

Movie dads: Chris Rock (left) and Tom Lennon (right) out on a walk with their kids in the new comedy What to Expect When you're Expecting

When the comedy Mr Mom hit the big screen in 1983, it portrayed Michael Keaton as a clueless stay-at-home dad who is laid off from work and is forced to learn how to take care of his children without setting the house on fire.

Fast forward to 2012, the fathers in the new comedy What to Expect When You're Expecting are portrayed as much savvier caretakers to their brood, but still, old stereotypes die hard.

‘To be a stay-at-home dad requires a lot of confidence in who you are,’ said Paxton Helms, 41, in Washington, D.C.



Stigmas: Despite the evolution in attitudes towards stay-at-home dads, some fathers say they still face mocking comments and stares

He became one about four years ago, when his daughter was 3 months old. A son followed and he now takes part-time contracts as an international development consultant, with flexible hours. His wife also works part-time.

