This week, news surfaced that Hilary Duff has told her husband, Mike Comrie that because he's officially retired from sport, she expects him to stay at home and raise their son Luca while she works. The source of this news added that Mike feels like "a slave" and that Hill has "trained" him while she "goes to lunch and auditions every day!"
Oh, brother.
Little Luca was born March 20, and Hilary works as an actress in Hollywood so I understand that for her, meetings, auditions and exercise are the keys to her success. The "source" here mentions her 5-days-a-week pilates class as if it were abandonment. If Daddy is home, why not seize the opportunity to work out, get a break and relax? We all know that newborns don't sleep very much and that over-night-time is often when mom's on her game.
Besides, what's wrong with Mike being a stay-at-home-Dad? Does it make him less of a man? That's certainly what's being implied here. I live in a family where I am the breadwinner and my husband is the at-home parent...and I think our whole family is happier for it. I love working, and I desperately need to be out of the house during the day or I might go crazy. My husband loves to putter and is a night-owl. Our son is happy as can be, we make ends meet, and generally, things are working around here better than they were when I was at home full-time.
Has anyone ever said that they think that my hubs is less manly for choosing to be "Mr. Mom"? Nope. In fact, everyone we meet is happy to hear it, and many dads we meet are even jealous that we have the opportunity to work this way.
So you know what I say? Rock on, Hilary. Go do your 5-days-a-week-pilates classes and your lunch dates and your auditions. You know your baby is safe at home with Daddy Mike and they are bonding and growing closer and Luca is going to know from the word go that both parents have awesome things to offer and that they love him very much. You are very lucky to be able to do this stuff, and eff anyone who says otherwise!
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