Old News

"It's another manic Monday" is how NPR began today's take on the booming cohort of stay-at-home-dads. There are the standard explanations (i.e., economic transformations; changing social attitudes). Still, most of the story is the same one having been told for years (and years) now — for comparison compare (there's not much contrast) between the NPR's Yuki Noguchi's take and the Washington Post's look-see via Katherine Shaver.

It is nice that pops as tops in child care can belie headlines and plaints like "Laid-Off Dad Won't Help at Home." However, once again, we look forward to the day when dads taking care of kids doesn't qualify on radio or in print as "news."

For what it's worth, another "Manic Monday" that's nicely told, but also doesn't qualify as news

All in Name

A rose by any other name ... bah, humbug!

Rather than gaining some respect for fathers who choose to take care of their kids, the title Stay-At-Home-Dad is back to meaning "unemployed male." From the big boys of media to the small, there's no honor for householding dads.

ABC news is looking for SAHDs ... but for a story on how they were hurt by the current recession. The Denton (Texas) Record describes unemployed male candidate for the school board, Danny Sullivan, as a SAHD. And Minnesota blogger findingDulcinea uses the dreaded "Mr. Mom" stereotype [Earlier: (Growing) Strength in (Increasing) Numbers] in the lede of a story about job-losing dad/SAHDs.

How hard is it to accept that taking care of kids isn't always about the lack of a better paying alternative. Maybe it's time for men to embrace an identity as homemakers. That doesn't sound "unemployed."