Traditionally women stayed at home with the children, but new research suggests that fathers are now the primary carer in one in seven households.
The results are ten times higher than just a decade ago and show men are more willing to relinquish their responsibility as family breadwinner and are more eager to accept the burdens of home life instead.
The survey, of 2,000 families by Aviva reveals 43 per cent of fathers feel lucky to have the opportunity to spend time with their children, but 46 per cent say the decision to stay at home was to enable the family's main earner to continue to work.
'The responsibilities of parenting are shifting,' says Louise Colley of Aviva. 'There is no longer a norm for who does what in a family relationship.'
With the closing gender pay gap, it is not unusual for women to be earning bigger pay packets than their partners, but this role reversal does have it's downsides too.
One in five stay-at-home dads say their new role makes them feel less of a man, while a third of women feel guilty about leaving their children to go out to work.
'The cost of childcare means many families feel it is not worthwhile for both parents to work,' says Ms Colley. 'So it's no longer a surprise to see more men taking up the reins.'
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Stay-at-home dads are on the rise
By Hannah Thomas - Tuesday 25 October 2011
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