About

Who is Rebel Dad? I’m Brian Reid, a former at-home dad who remains interested in the question of how modern fathers can maximize their connection to family.

What is Rebel Dad? When I first quit my full time working-world job to be the primary caregiver for my child, I went excitedly looking for information about at-home fathers. I searched the web, browsed my way through my local bookstore, kept a close eye on my local paper and flipped through the magazines at the newsstand, all in hopes of getting some insight into the new fraternity I had joined. It was a frustrating search. Enter RebelDad. Over the years, the content of Rebel Dad has shifted (as I have re-entered the full-time paid labor force), and it now focuses on a broader set of fatherhood (and family)-related issues.

Why ‘Rebel Dad’? There is no good way to refer to a father who serves as primary caregiver. “Househusband” sounds dated and “stay-at-home dad” too long (and the acronym — SAHD too depressing). “Mr. Mom” is offensive for a couple of reasons. I wanted a name for male primary caregivers that captured something positive, something edgy. As they are at the leading edge of a social revolution (gender equity in the home!), Rebel Dads seemed to be a good name for us guys. It’s not intuitive enough to show up in Webster’s, but it’s good enough for me.