"They were always clean," Bruce interjected, in best wisecracking mode.

He said his role raises some eyebrows, but not as many as it would if he had been forced into it or was not able to make a living. And awkwardness still exists.

"When I go to playgrounds, I get the look," Bruce said — mothers of young kids look askance at him. And at church, where care is taken so that women have access to all activities, men are not as welcome in the child care chores, he said.

"We're not allowed to change diapers," he said. Then he laughed. "How can I fight that? I would look even more like a pervert."

Bruce said he does miss his old job sometimes, but he can stay up on video games, a passion he shares with Xander.

What he doesn't have is work that provides an instant foray into male conversation. "They don't understand what my job is," he said. Running a household "is still undervalued."

For the most part, this group is a smooth-running machine with a visible happiness ratio.

Michele said it seems natural "for the husband to be the head of the family this way.