Data You Can't Trust (And the Silver Lining)
Posted on 20. Jul, 2009 by Brian Reid in General
The worst of the summer madness is behind me, so I can now turn to the enormous list of things that have piled up. In the days and weeks to come, I’ll be pointing out a bunch of old pieces of news and updating the blogroll.
But I need to start with with CareerBuilder.com. Every year, they commission a survey to see how many working dads would do the at-home thing “if their spouse or significant other’s income could comfortably support the entire family.” The numbers here have bounced around over the years — it rose as high as 49 percent in 2005 - and this year landed at their level in the 6 years that the effort has been taking place: 31 percent.
CareerBuilder makes no effort to explain this, but let me make two overarching points:
1. Men have not suddenly decided that hanging with the family isn’t all its cracked up to be. I’m guessing that the decline in the number of would-be at-home dads is actually a reflection that the number of working dads who can imagine — in this economy — having one income earner “comfortably support[ing] the entire family” is at an all-time low. This says a lot more about the psychology of the American workplace than it does about the American family.
2. Despite this (and despite the fact that I think this kind of survey is scientifically marginal best), these results show that one in three dads out there have absolutely zero problem with a reverse-traditional family. This findings (if true) remains extraordinary by historical standards, even if the numbers are moving around a bit.
Dirk
20. Jul, 2009
Those numbers sound surprisingly high to me. 31% is a lot for a completely non traditional role. Count me in.
Jon
21. Jul, 2009
I wonder myself about the prevalence of SAHD’s in general, never mind acceptance. Although I must admit to bumping into a number of SAHD’s every now and again.
Arjun Sen
22. Jul, 2009
Surprising to see those number so high. Thanks for your insights, I’d love to link your blog feed to mine as we discuss many of the same kinds of issues. (www.raisingafather.blogspot.com)
PoppaBlog
02. Aug, 2009
Those numbers seem skewed. May be a classic case of those taking the survey are interested in the subject matter and will skew the results upwards? Or maybe the dads taking time out of their work day away from the kids to fill out surveys are inclined to desiring time away from the desk. Thing is, I’d do it in a second, but I’m also reading a blog about stay at home dads…I can’t say 31 percent of the dads I know would stay at home with the kids though.