Stay-at-home dads are worth €45k per year
Latest figures from the Central Statistics Office reveal that there are now at least 10,150 men who classify themselves as stay-at- home fathers.
However, it is believed that there are many more men working full-time in the home who did not categorise themselves in Census 2011.
Caledonian Life says fathers who work in the home should consider financial protection.
While a dad’s emotional value cannot be costed what he does in the home can.
So here’s the average cost of some of the top jobs dads do in the home on a weekly basis:
* Cook — €100 for 10 hours at €10 an hour;
* Taxi service — €200 for 10 trips at €10 each way;
* Cleaner — €100.30 for 10 hours at €10.30 an hour;
* Childminder/handyman — €210 for 25 hours at €8.50 an hour;
* Shopper — €55 for five hours at €11 an hour;
* Tutor — €100 for five hours at €20 an hour;
* Gardener — €15.60 for two hours at €7.80;
* Sports coach — €75 for five hours at €15 an hour.
Joe Charles from Caledonian Life said their calculations were based on the cost to employ someone to do all the household jobs normally done by a stay-at-home dad. At the very least, the annual cost would be €44,506.80.
However, both stay-at-home mums and dads tended to undervalue or, worse still, actually place no financial value on their role, he said.
Mr Charles said parents who stayed at home to mind their children full-time should examine how their family would cope financially if they became seriously ill or died suddenly.
He said a simple cost illustration might bring the message home that they need to have financial protection.
