Is Being A Stay-at-Home Dad A Dream Job?

It appears that some out there consider being a stay-at-home dad a dream job. Not because of the joy of raising a child, rather, because it means no boss, no long commutes, no office politics, etc. These people should think again.

I saw this hilarious article on Cracked.com. In part, the article says:

The first perceived perk of leaving a traditional job to be a househusband is that there is no longer a boss to deal with and you are now able to dictate your own schedule and tasks, on your own time. But in reality, the exact opposite is true. A stay-at-home dad has the most demanding, most obnoxious, rudest boss possible: a child. Babies and toddlers make unreasonable demands and give out impossible deadlines to meet at all hours of the day (and night). In fact, the job never ends. There is no time clock, no shift whistle and no drinks with the guys after work.

I'd agree that a baby/toddler can be a very demanding boss. My DS keeps me on my toes the entire day. One minute he's quietly eating his snacks, the next minute he's crying and fussing for no apparent reason. And there really isn't any time off from being a dad. No weekends. No holidays.

I joke with my wife that I get paid in dirty diapers.

The last part of the article talks about some women divorce their "househusbands" because the traditional belief that the man should work still holds - and women lose respect for their husbands. That's a different post for a different day.