Dad should stay home with the kids sometimes. Not as a heroic gesture, not because Mom automatically handles everything else, and certainly not because childcare somehow becomes “Mom’s job” by default. In many families, the better choice depends on whose schedule takes the smaller hit, who has the more urgent responsibility, and who can handle the particular situation without creating a household emergency.
That last part matters more than people admit. A parent might have a presentation at work, a medical appointment, a deadline, or a rare chance to get something done uninterrupted. Meanwhile, Dad may have a flexible afternoon and a toddler who has decided that pants are an unacceptable government regulation.
