Is a "stay at home dad" respected in our society?

My ex husband is now a stay at home dad...he became one after he returned from Iraq. His wife has a job that requires travel throughout the week, and earns enough to comfortably support the family, so he stays home. I don't know if society as a whole respects him or other stay at home dads, but I personally respect them as much as I respect stay at home mothers. The job is demanding, never stops, and deserves as much respect as we give the "bread winner".

I am not sure if they are, but they definately should be!!!

They should be if they aren't.

Absolutely has my respect, I have a good friend that is in this kind of situation as well. I would hope my feelings are the norm on this subject.

My experience as a single custodial father has been that the "system" sets a double standard for single custodial fathers vs single custodial mothers in some states (Michigan being one of them) and that alone gives a stigma to the single custodial father that is negative in nature. I finally had to leave Michigan and return to California just to get away from all the negative impact that the State was bringing into our lives. And I could feel judgemental attitudes coming from a large number of the people there as well. California people seem much more accepting and even supporting of single fathers raising their children. Just my take, others may have had extremely different experiences.

Overall, I think that no, men who stay home with their kids are not given the respect they deserve. I think many people probably see it as that he can't or won't work, is between jobs, etc and that's why but as soon as he gets a job, things will go back to "normal." Which is a pity as I know many really great dads who, if they make the choice, should be "allowed" the opportunity to be full-time parents without comment by the peanut gallery. It's an attitude that's changing, though slowly.

I bet their families do, and so should we... I think it's admirable that someone want's to be home with the kids, be it the man or the woman... whatever you can do to raise a positive, self assured child is respectful in my book!!