6 Reasons You Should Introduce Yourself to That Stay-at-Home Dad in the Park
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One thing most parents don't talk about? How vastly underrepresented stay-at-home dads are. Think about it: they deal with a lot of the same troubles stay-at-home moms run into. And while a quick Google search will yield hundreds of personal essays and posts dedicated to the female version, the amount of literature on stay-at-home dads is sorely lacking.
So if you ever come across one of these dads at the PTA meeting or pushing his kiddos on the swings at the park, make sure you go up and introduce yourself. After all, you never know exactly what you can learn from another parent, regardless of whether they're male or female.
Looking for a few more reasons to approach that smiling face the next time you're out? We've laid out why you should give a friendly wave in that dad's direction.
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They're just as down for a play date as you are.
Scheduling play dates in the middle of seemingly never-ending weeks can seriously be a godsend. And guess what? The moms in your kiddos' preschool class aren't the only people in the world pining for a few hours of peace on a Wednesday afternoon.
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They're not going to hit on you.
Say it with me: "He's not hitting no you!" Just because a dad chats you up by the monkey bars doesn't mean he's interested in . . . that. He's literally just trying to shoot the breeze.
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They're pretty laid-back.
Stay-at-home dads aren't usually the ones with the juicy gossip. So you know what means for you? Time spent talking about anything else other than the one kid in class who has either lice or an affinity for taking a nibble on of the other students.
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They're fun as hell.
Dads are the first people to scream "race ya!" or help a little one climb a tree for the first time, but it's not all reserved for the kids. After all, some can throw a mean BBQ.
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He knows where ALL the cool hangout spots are.
Dads have the low-down on the roads less traveled, so he may have a short list of little-known parks, awesome kid-friendly restaurants that aren't too crowded, and out-of-the-ordinary day trip ideas on hand. All you have to do is ask.
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They like to complain, too.
Does your kid throw the mecca of all fits every single morning when you go to put her shoes on? We're willing to hedge a bet that the stay-at-home dad in question knows exactly what you're going through. And whether or not he has any hacks for getting those sneakers on easier, sometimes it just helps to vent a little.