[Ignatz]

No one respects a Stay at Home father, even if he got laid-off. TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.

I spent the first two years of my oldest daughter's life as her primary caregiver under quite similar circumstances. It never occurred to me whether I was appreciated or not by others. I was too busy appreciating the situation for myself! I would not have traded those two years for all the gold on earth. To this day she and I have a close relationship. Of course, she's now 15 and I have become an idiot in her mind, but we are still close.

[JamesP81]

Of course, she's now 15 and I have become an idiot in her mind, but we are still close.

I wouldn't worry about that. Mark Twain, when he was 14, lamented about how stupid his father was. He further lamented when he was 21 about how much that dumb old man had learned in 7 years.

[GQuagmire]

“Of course, she’s now 15 and I have become an idiot in her mind, but we are still close.”

I have become an idiot to my three kids as well(15,13,and11-all girls).I cannot wait until THEY have teenagers.

[NCLaw441]

You posted, in part: Of course, she’s now 15 and I have become an idiot in her mind, but we are still close.
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I have boy/girl twins who are 15 years old. If it helps at all, they both think their mother and I are idiots, too. I didn’t have your experience of staying home with them, although I have tried to get home for lunch most days, if I am not out of town or in court, so I got to see them more than many dads do (at a price, of course). My wife works from 9 to 2, three days a week, and while her income is not essential, it is VERY helpful. These days she could rival my income if she worked full time (she is a pharmacist). Maybe when the kids go to college...