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Paternal Playgroups
The Benefits of an All-Dads Group
By Teri Brown
Stay-at-home or work-at-home dads often feel as if they are swimming against the social current, and in a sense they are. Though the number of at-home dads is on the rise, there still aren't very many of them out there. Many dads feel that this sense of isolation can be exacerbated by a tendency amongst at-home moms to keep at-home dads in the neighborhood at arm's length. The effect can be isolating for both a father and his children.
For White, putting together a playgroup made sense for both he and his son. "I had a very difficult transition from the corporate world to Elmo's world," says White. "I was happy to find other guys who could relate to the experience. It is also great to talk with a person who can appreciate the challenges of getting an accurate reading with an ear thermometer as well as someone who can appreciate the excitement of the on-side kick."
The greatest challenges for Whites' group and other stay-at-home dads' groups has been finding members close enough to each other to make meeting practical. "Because there aren't as many SAHDs as there are SAHMs, it is necessary for us to reach out to other areas than just our own hometown," he says. "Our group consists of dads that live as far 20 miles apart. Because of the size of our group and the distance we live from one another, it does require several attempts to narrow down on a place, time and location suitable for all age groups."
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