At-Home Fathers and Breadwinning Mothers Project

My wife & I participated in a research study with Baruch College (City University of NY) about families in which men are the primary caregivers and the mothers are the primary income earners. The pioneer of this project, Caryn Medved (the primary researcher and interviewer) & I met last week at a local Starbuck’s for this research study. She was personable, easy to talk to, and genuine about her goals for this project. I was happy to participate & share my at-home-dad experiences for this research project. It is my hope that families in the future have access to more information on reverse traditional families so they can determine if it is a viable option for them. If more at-home dads along with their breadwinning wives/partners would like to participate in this type of study, here are the details…

ATTENTION PARENTS
IS DAD AT HOME CARING FOR THE KIDS?
IS MOM EMPLOYED OUTSIDE THE HOME?

Researchers at Baruch College, City University of New York are conducting a series of studies about families in which men are the primary childcare providers and mothers are the main family income earners. We are looking for couples willing to participate in this project by completing a survey and taking part in an interview.

Our findings will provide valuable information to others about the rewards and challenges of being an at-home father. To participate in this project, fathers must (a) have a wife/partner who works full time in the paid labor force; (b) have at least one child living in the household; and (c) work for pay in a part-time capacity or not be earning any income.

If you choose to participate in this project, you and your significant other will be asked a series of questions about your daily household and childcare routines, work and family attitudes and relationships. Average interviews will last one to two hours and will be audio-recorded for analysis.

Interviews will be scheduled at your convenience and a researcher will come to your home or another designated location of your choice. Interviews can also be conducted via phone. Prior to the interview, participants will be asked to fill out a survey which will take about 30 minutes to complete. And, while participants will not be financially compensated for their time, survey results will be mailed to all couples free of charge.

Your participation in this research project is completely voluntary. This study is completely confidential and you will remain anonymous in any published reports. We will also share our findings with all research participants and would be glad to speak to any community groups or local agencies about our work.

If you are interested in finding out more information about this study, please call either (646) 312-3726 or (614) 657-4365. You are also welcome to email the primary researcher at caryn.medved@baruch.cuny.edu. The project website can also be accessed at http://webapp.baruch.cuny.edu/faculty/wlps/index.html. This research is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Caryn Medved, PhD
Baruch College-CUNY