The role of house husband has becoming accepted and a part of today’s society more than ever before.
Beginning during the Great Depression, women took on the role traditionally held by husbands of working outside the home. Generally, this had not been a part of women’s role in society prior to that time. However, the Depression created a strong need for families to find financial stability where and how they could, and many women entered the workplace. There’s the old tale about Rosie the Riveter who went into the workplace during World War II because of the scarcity of men to perform jobs that had traditionally been held by males. Women took on jobs of all types during that time when their husbands were off at war. Money was tight, labor was scarce, and many women grew to enjoy the sense of contributing. They also developed a sense of camaraderie with other like-minded women during that time, and the female-driven workforce grew and thrived.
Many women grew to find not only financial stability during this time but also a love for the workplace and for a feeling of productivity outside the home. Divorce rates were on the rise during this period as well, which created an additional need for women to work outside the home. Societal roles had changed so that the traditional female “homemaker” was not necessarily the norm any longer. Husbands were in the same workplaces as their wives, and sometimes the wives had the higher paying, more satisfying jobs. It was during this time when men first found themselves in the role of house husband.
Today, the stay-at-home house husband is fairly common in the United States. It is not unusual for the wife to work in a traditional business, and the husband to be a house husband either working from home or tending the kids, or often both! There are strong reasons why the house husband model works. First and foremost is the economic benefit. Rather than spending the money on a nanny or day care, a house husband working at home can tend to the children, and save both parents the worry about the quality of day care and nannies. Second, during today’s economy, many workplaces have downsized rapidly. Often, only one spouse will have a job. The other spouse, sometimes the husband, will fill the role of staying home and taking care of the kids and the house. Third, with telecommuting available now, many house husbands are actually still in a traditional job just working from home. This provides many benefits to both spouses because the husband is providing a paycheck and taking care of the house.
While originally shunned, the house husband is now a common part of today’s family. It is not unusual for the wife to work in a traditional workplace away from the house, while the husband stays home. It is an emerging trend that is likely here to stay because the benefits to both spouses and the entire family can be tremendous.
Reference: http://BusinessTM.com/about/erik-cornella/
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