Mr. Mom

Did you know there is a blogging community? Well, I guess I knew that as well.  Did you know that there is a dad blogging community? I know!! Me neither. 

Stay at home dads make up less than 5% of the stay at home parenting community, and 75% of the dad blogging community.  OK…I made both of those up, but it seems like I read it somewhere…does that count as a source?

I joined a dad blogging community, and if you base your research off of that…than you would think that moms have stopped staying at home all together.  If I was a better person I would share with you some of their post, but you’re MY readers.  You hear me…we are an item, and if you leave me I might go crazy…Homer Simpson, “Don’t mind if I do,” Kind of crazy.

Well I would share them, but I don’t have much time to read their work.  The one person I will share is one of the first I stumbled across.  If you have a moment, (AND you have read every single blog post of mine 1^st…I’m not joking people we are an item now) please go check it out.

www.askyourdadblog.com

He has a very similar writing style to mine…Well since his readers probably number in the thousands, and mine in the puny hundreds, maybe my style matches his.  Irregardless he is funny, and I think you will enjoy his blog.  

Now I have to confront the awkward truth about the name of my blog, New Age Mr. Mom.  Listen in the 80’s the movie was funny, but I’m sure it offended at least one person.  Let me break down the story line for you.  Men are idiots, and although we (at the time) trusted them to exclusively run the free world, we didn't trust them to run a household of children.  In the end though, he manages to get it under control, and shows himself a capable father.  Well I hope that’s how it ends…I was 8 when I last saw the movie.

No one has ever called me Mr. Mom, but I think if they did I would be offended.  I’m not a mom, I’m a dad.  What would the female equivalent of Mr. mom be. …Misses boss?  My wife calls me a house husband.  At first I didn't like it, but I; one couldn't think of anything better, and two was putting my own bias into the words.  For me in particular I am easily offended regarding my role in the family.  Not because I am uncomfortable with my role, or think it doesn't have value.  More so, because I think YOU are uncomfortable with my role and don’t think it has value.  The percentage of men who stay at home is so small, that I constantly feel the need to defend what I do…even though you have no problem or hiccups at all.  I’m not only having a disagreement with a person who isn't there.  I am having a disagreement with a person I haven’t even met.  That does not sound healthy.

The vast majority of people I talk to have been very supportive.  If they have said something that offended me, it was slight, and I know they didn't mean for me to take it that way. 

So how did I pick the name?  I am going to level with you.  I had been staying at home for a grand total of one month, and Mr. Mom was literally the ONLY reference I had to being a stay at home dad.  The website was also available so it helped.  I added the ‘new age’ for a couple of reasons.  Number one I am not Michael Keaton, in looks, reality, and more importantly I am not a bubbling idiot.  Number two and this might sound mean, but I think a modern stay at home dad, can be in many ways better than a stay at home mom.  So if pressed I usually tell offended stay at home dads, that I mean it ironically.

Yet there is one more important point that needs to be made.  The media doesn't care how progressive and modern the new age of stay at home parents are.  How do I know, because of the Doritos commercial during the super bowl, social expectations, and more importantly the show ‘Dads with Kids.’

This show is straight offensive.  In one episode the dad builds his kids a slip in slide in doors.  As if, any person  would think this is a good idea.   I tried to watch the show but I didn't even make it through one episode.  If this is how high you think the bar should be set on fatherhood, than please turn off your computer, and never come back to see me again.  Its not me, its you.  We are through.  Take your crap and get out of my place, and don't forget your F-ing cat. 

Listen I parent different than moms, mainly because as stated before I’m not a mom.  I also parent different that dads, because they are them and I am me. It is the medias job to group us into little succint groups.  If your on the outside of one of these groups, it is easy to take the media representation as fact.  Don't do this. 

When people tell me Mr. Mom offends them, I think of this show….I get it. 

Don’t worry.  I’m a DUDE, I’ll Get over it.  Besides I’m a middle class white dude at that.  The media has been catering to me my entire life.  I am over due for a grossly inaccurate stereotype.