Working at Home on the Internet

Interview… Steve Remington from Inside Fatherhood

Steve Remington has been Blogging for a long time now and is one of my good blogging friends.  I first met Steve at an Open Comment Night at Successful Blog.  That is when I began reading some of his work at Why My Blog Stinks and met his sidekick Milton the Moose.

He has since changed course a little and became a Stay at Home Dad (SAHD) and began writing Inside Fatherhood.  It is the antithesis of a WAHM, but if you think about it, they really have a lot in common.  He has a lot of good articles on Fatherhood, Husbandry, and a myriad of other helpful insight.

 

So, grab a cup of java, kick-back and enjoy a peek into the life of a SAHD…

 

Me… What was the major factor in the decision for you to become a Stay at Home Dad?

Steve… This is usually the most popular question among people who ask questions regarding me staying home. Well, second most popular to “Are you nuts?” There are two major factors that played a huge role in me and my wife’s decision for dad to be the one to stay home with the kiddos. She makes more money and we prefer that one parent be home with the kids during the day.

Financial Responsibility

Whether I am working or not, my wife makes about 4 times the amount I do. It wasn’t even a close decision when it came to finances. I do work from home now but at the time of the decision I was not, and so it made more sense for me to be home, and still does. With 4 kids in the house and soon to be 5, the cost of daycare would far exceed the annual income I would make in the workplace. So, in a sense I am contributing financially, in that I am not running up daycare costs. This gives us no daycare costs and an opportunity for me to make a small supplemental income from home.

Moral Responsibility

As a parent I feel a moral responsibility towards my children to raise them myself. Raising children is a responsibility and not a luxury, therefore I feel that it is important for one parent to stay home if it is financially possible. I know that not in every situation either parent has that option to stay home. I would think it morally irresponsible to stay home with a child and not pay the bills. So in my current situation, we could afford for me to stay home. So it works for us and I feel that moral responsibility to be there for my children.

 

Me…  Could you give us an idea of what your day is like?

Steve…  My day can be real hectic with 4 kids in the house. Right now 2 of them are off to school but weekends, afternoons, vacations, and summers I get them all. In all honesty, the day usually goes well, but really depends on how I feel. In other words, my mood and attitude can really make a difference on the attitudes of my own kids. Being healthy and well rested can give you a great edge on the day.

In the typical stereotype of a parent caring for several kids you imagine a scene of complete chaos. There is a woman in an apron with flour all over herself, and in her messy, knotted up hair. The kids are playing pass with the eggs, the telephone is ringing in the background, the dog is pooping in the corner, the cat is meowing, the pie is burning in the oven as the burner catches fire, and the woman is chasing after the kids, trying to put out the fire, answer the phone, and trying to get the dog to go outside all at the same time. 

Well, that just doesn’t happen in my routine day. There are moments from time to time I do feel overwhelmed, trying to multitask and make everybody happy. Doing chores, cooking, and keeping an eye on 4 kids can be real challenging. But my day is a bit structured. I will give you an idea of what it is like personally.  » continue reading »

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November 2nd, 2006 at 07:06am | Posted by Joe | Blogging, Community, Interviews, Work at Home | 5 reader remarks | Print This Post