In times of modern parenting, it becomes more and more societal accepted that men stay at home with the children and taking care of the household while women pursue their careers and bringing in the money. Stereotypical gender roles are re-defined in modern parenting, which leads to a greater freedom for couples to create their own individual solution to combine family and work. While staying at home with the kids might seem to be the easier choice, it can be much harder than expected. To successfully managing the family not only regarding the daily chores but also throughout the year, this article provides a small overview of what to remember.
Christmas Cards
As a first thing that the modern dad might forget in the first years of staying at home are the Christmas cards. The annual sending out Christmas greetings to friends and family in form of a card with a family photo takes up more time than one might assume. It is therefore a good idea to set the appointment to take a family picture early enough to be able to create personalised photo christmas cards and sending them out. To be ahead of time you should start with it in November, so you avoid having to stress about it while shopping for christmas gifts and planning the christmas dinner.
Parent days at school
Another event that usually happens once or twice a year is the parent day at school. On that day the parents are invited to meet the teachers at school and talk to them about their kid’s performance. As a modern dad who stays at home, you should be the one to participate on that day instead of your partner because you are the one helping the kids with their homework and daily struggles. Since those days are often outside of school and working hours but scheduled for the evening, you should remember to make sure that either your partner can be at home with your kids or that you organize a babysitter.
Vacation planning
As a stay-at-home dad, you are responsible for all the care work that is surrounding the family’s wellbeing – including planning vacations. In order to do so, you should have a talk with your partner in the beginning of the year and plan the exact time for the yearly vacation. While you might want to agree together on a destination, make sure that you are the one organizing it, so that your partner do not have to stress about it while working.
Doctor and dentist appointments
Another more or less annual event, that can be easily forgotten, are doctor and dentist appointments for both your kids, yourself and your partner. It is important to make appointments for dental prophylaxis, vaccinations or blood tests on a regular basis. You should remember to make those appointments in the beginning of the year, note them down and then remember your family when it is about time to go there.
