Meet the dads choosing caring for kids over careers: 'Men are starting to realize that missing crucial morning time and bedtime adds up' | Fortune

"Kurt Will was 42 years old when he packed in his career to look after his newborn. At the time, he was working for Dow Jones on a fixed-term contract. The commute was grueling-a near-four-hour round trip-and his salary was practically the same as the cost of hiring a nanny. Meanwhile, his wife had "the better career prospects" as an anti-trust in-house lawyer at Time Warner, he tells Fortune."

"He's part of a growing number of fathers to take on the unpaid position of being a child's chauffeur, nanny, cleaner, and personal cook-a role which historically fell firmly on the shoulders of mothers. Today, dads make up 18% of stay-at-home parents, according to a Pew Research Center analysis. But when Will took on the role almost two decades ago, stay-at-home fathers were few and far between-just 5% of fathers were stay-at-home dads at the turn of the millennium."

""Bonding with kids has been incredible-as has getting actively involved in the school work and the community," he said. "The school now calls me as well as Meg if there is a problem and I have joined the class WhatsApp groups." Why the sudden uptick in stay-at-home dads? According to Pew's research, the share of fathers in the U.S. staying home to look after their kids was previously fueled by economic downturns, with the percentage of stay-at-home dads surging during the 2008 financial crisis."

Kurt Will left his job at age 42 to care for his newborn due to a grueling commute, low pay, and his wife's stronger career prospects. He became a full-time caregiver, handling chauffeuring, childcare, cleaning, and cooking, and later cared for a second child. Fathers now comprise 18% of stay-at-home parents, up from 5% around 2000 and nearly doubled over 30 years. Many fathers paused or left paid work for caregiving, reporting increased bonding and school involvement. Pew analysis links earlier rises to economic downturns like the 2008 crisis, with patterns shifting as the economy and family roles evolve.

Read at Fortune