Survey Reveals Stay-at-Home Dads Are the New Wave of Parenting

This Father’s Day, make sure to get dear ol’ dad an extra special gift because he’s taking extra special care of you these days.

According to a new study, there were two million stay-at-home dads in 2012 (the most recent year data was available). That’s almost double the 1.1 million in 1989. The high water mark for stay-at-home dads was 2010 when 2.2 million went that route.

Stay-at-home parents are still mostly mothers, but men are gaining. In 2012, 16% of all stay-at-home parents were dads, a steep jump from the 10% in 1989.

So, why are fathers leaving the traditional job behind to remain with the kids in the house? About 35% say they’re sick or disabled, ahead of the 23% who say they cannot find a job and those who are in school, retired or other (22%).

Another 21% say they're intentionally staying home so they can care for the family.

Those figures paint quite the contrast from the 73% of stay-at-home mothers who say they remain home specifically to look after their family.