- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- dads today articles
- dads today q&a
- message boards
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
 |
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Working at Home
Is it For You?
By Greg Downs
The Benefits of Working at Home
While work-at-home fathering can be exhausting, dads find sustenance in moments they would have missed if they worked in traditional offices. "It's just simple stuff that provides the biggest benefits," says Giardina. Each day he and his son eat lunch together and take short breaks to play in the backyard. "And the nursery is right next to my office. So when he wakes up from naptime, I'm usually the one who hears him and takes him downstairs. The point where he wakes up is usually a fun time. He's well-rested. He's talkative." 
There are measurable benefits to working at home as well, says Frank. Children whose fathers are active caregivers tend to form more balanced relationships with their parents. In traditional families, 80 percent of the children who wake up frightened in the middle of the night call for their mother, but children of at-home fathers are typically comfortable calling for either parent, he explained. "It's probably one of the best things [fathers] can do for their kids." Over the years, Massey noticed that Tucker paid careful attention to the work he did at his desk in the family room cubicle. "It got to where Tucker was setting up what looked like an office situation. He had drawers and cubbies for his papers. He was sitting at his desk, creating designs, doing his numbers and letters. My wife said, 'He's doing his work, just like you are.' Not only does Tucker see a father. He sees a father at work. He knows what I do."
