Here’s one to get the ladies’ knickers in a twist: is being a stay-at-home mum really the Dickensian drudgery they’d have us believe? Or is it really mostly just sitting on their bums watching daytime telly?
Many men who’ve taken on the job of caring for their children reckon it’s a doddle.
A Colorado dad has sparked debate online after questioning whether being a stay-at-home mom is as difficult as is claimed.
Cass Casperson (@cassandrian) outlined what he does in a day caring for his one-year-old daughter at home while his wife goes to work in a clip on TikTok. “I can give her three meals a day, change her on time, get her and do her naps, playtime, arts-and-crafts time, and still make sure the entire place is clean,” the former army service member said. Casperson asked viewers: “When does being a stay-at-home mom become hard?”
Cue fishwife screeching.
What are the women complaining about, exactly?
The dad doubled down on his claim that being a stay-at-home mom is easy. “I don’t believe it’s hard to clean, to chase kids, to entertain and raise them while doing a few chores throughout the day,” he told Newsweek.
“However, I think that what comes with the role is hard. Dealing with isolation [and] depression. Dealing with partners who don’t support or don’t know how to support properly.”
Casperson said that his perspective may overlook factors like multiple children or neurodivergent kids. Still, he remained adamant that the core labor is not inherently difficult – just that the surrounding circumstances often are.
“I have no doubt that it’s harder and comes with its own difficulties; however, the act of being a stay-at-home mom or dad is still easy, especially if you have been in high-stimulation environments, high-stress situations beforehand,” he added.
Having been the stay-at-home partner, both with and without kids, it always seemed a pretty good lark, to be honest, even while running a freelance business from home. Certainly way easier than being a cubicle monkey, let alone physical labouring, especially farm work in the freezing hell of a Tasmanian winter. All of which I’ve done.
I’d take it any day above working a real job.
Many viewers – men in particular – sided with Casperson, supporting his claim that the role of a stay-at-home mom is easy. “I’ve yet to see a single stay-at-home dad complain,” a user wrote.
One father of four agreed that it was “easy” to him, while another said the hardest part of being a stay-at-home dad was the boredom he felt.
If having too much time on your hands is your biggest complaint, then you really do have it easy.
Maybe it’s a ‘you’ thing, women.
Casperson said his own characteristics – “very optimistic, high-energy, ready-for-the-day every day” – likely contribute to the disconnect many viewers felt with his perspective […]
Many wrote that it is more difficult for women who have gone through physical and emotional changes as they transition into motherhood.
So, join your local hen’s group, get clucking and stop complaining.
Despite the reaction, Casperson said his perspective has not changed. “I don’t believe in making excuses. I think if something is challenging you, then it’s your responsibility to do something about it,” he said.
Except, as we all know, ‘responsibility’ is as foreign a concept to some modern women as ‘accountability’.
