FIRST WORD
Q&A Jason Mears
Paulo Fierro
What do you find the most rewarding part of being a Stay at Home Dad? When my son was small, I was away on tour a lot. I felt I missed him growing up, so the second time round it’s amazing being with Charlotte and watching her grow. Supporting my wife in her job is also very important to me.
What’s the most surprising thing you learnt about yourself since working from home? I found that I had a lot more self-discipline than I was aware of.
Was there anything about becoming a Stay at Home Dad that surprised you? How easily we have adapted to it. Sarah was always more career focused and I’ve always been the chef. The process of organising myself each day is not too different from when I was working. What’s the most surprising thing you learnt about yourself since becoming a Stay at Home Dad? How bad I am at folding things… Sarah still does the laundry as I seriously can’t fold things properly. Would you recommend becoming a Stay at Home Dad to any of your friends who are considering it? Definitely, I don’t think there is anything wrong in your partner working whilst you manage the household. I believe all jobs in society should be gender neutral. It’s about being partners in running your home and bringing up your family. What are your top tips for making friends as a Stay at Home Dad? Make time for yourself, join some clubs otherwise it becomes very isolating. Don’t be afraid to talk to other parents at drop off and pick up too. What do you do in your spare time away from the children? I enjoy DIY, cooking and fitness. I have also started a Psychology with Counselling degree which I am finding immensely satisfying.
Jason Mears served in the British Army for 14 years and worked as an Engineer before becoming a Stay at Home Dad 2 years ago.
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Are there any important pieces of advice for anyone about to become a Work from Home Dad? We have a rule. If the door is closed, please don’t disturb. My wife also has a light in the hallway outside her office which turns red when she’s in an important meeting. What do you think are the main benefits of being a Work from Home Dad? For me it’s the impromptu hangouts with my son during the day. I pop out to get some coffee and he sees me and wants to show me what this cool truck can do and we play for a few minutes, or I take a break in the afternoon and splash in the pool with him. Those little breaks leave me happy and energized which makes me even more productive. Has your relationship changed at all with your wife since you became a Work from Home Dad? Not really as we have our own dedicated work spaces. I feel like we’re closer, because we spend so much time with each other. What did the Covid-19 lockdown teach you about yourself and parenting? Luckily, we already work from home so there was no transition or extra work setting that up. Our son is 2 years old, so there was no schoolwork to deal with. But taking care of children and working at the same time is impossible. My wife and I took turns but it meant we didn’t really spend much time together as a family since any spare time was spent juggling work. It turns out though that I like baking!
Paulo Fierro has been running his software development company from home for 10 years now which has given him the flexibility to spend more time with his son.
