The Decision

You may be wondering how I got into this position as a stay-at-home dad. Well, let me take you back in time some 12 years and I'll tell you.

Even before we began to start a family, my wife and I decided that one of us should stay home and raise our children. We didn't want to have our kids raised by a daycare worker. We wanted to be able to see them take their first steps; hear them say their first words, etc.

When it was discovered that my wife was pregnant, we had a decision to make. We both had good jobs that paid well, so who should stay at home? Well, the decision came down not to salary, but to insurance coverage. My wife's insurance covered 100% of the doctor and hospital bills, while my insurance (even though I had been employed with the University for over 4 years ) considered it a pre-exisiting condition and would not cover the costs (insurance companies...go figure).

So, the decision was made and preparations were made for the birth of our first child and a drastic change in my lifestyle. My career, my life, and the way I saw myself would be forever changed.