Working Dads’ Envy

With all the goofy looks and comments out there directed at the average stay-at-home father, there is one reaction most of us have received: Envy from a man. CareerBuilder.com has an annual survey of working men that proves the point. The 2008 version, released June 9, says 37% of working fathers would stay at home if their spouses made enough to support the family. That matches last year’s results. The number has hovered around 40% for the past five years, peaking at 49% in 2005.

That “Working Dads 2008” survey sampled only 955 men, but any stay-at-home dad could name a friend or two – or more – who would love to care for the kids instead of going to the office. Who knows what their true motivation is, but at least some miss their children and see the value of being around. The survey found that 46% of working dads have missed a significant milestone in their kids’ lives in the past year, and 26% missed more than three. So take comfort in those goofy looks you get. Plenty of dads can only wish they got that treatment.