Babypalooza Magazine Spring 2018

MR.Dad
The day and the life of two stay-at-home dads.
oBY KIM HILDENBRAND
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTEN LEE CREATIVE
ONCE UPON A TIME, Mom raised the kids while Dad went to work. But the world is changing, and parental
roles have evolved. Though statistics vary based on definitions, the National At-Home Dad Network estimates
that there are around 1.75 million stay-at-home dads across the United States. And that number may be even
higher, given that 7 million fathers in the U.S. describe themselves as their child’s primary caregiver.
But data doesn’t tell the whole story. To get an inside look into the real lives of stay-at-home dads, we spoke
to two of them who live right here in Alabama. Why did they decide to become SAHDs? What’s a typical day
in the life? What challenges do they face—and what joys do they celebrate? Read on to find out.
Jonathan Burton of Birmingham
Spouse: Lindsay Rhodes
Child: Leo (10 months)
Childhood Career Aspiration: A writer or an astronaut
FOR JONATHAN BURTON, there was never any
question: Being a stay-at-home dad made sense for
him, his wife Lindsay Rhodes, and their son Leo.
“My wife is a physician and invested a lot of time and
energy into her career,” he says. “She loves her work.”
Jonathan has an accounting degree and worked in
the finance department of a large nonprofit. Though
he enjoyed his work, he was eager to spend more time
with Leo. “My dad passed away before I was 2, and
I didn’t get to experience life with a father,” Jonathan
24 BabyPalooza.com