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ENLARGE
Jon Miles, left, along with his son, Finn, visits with Steve Jones and children, Jack and Kaylee, in the living room of Jones' home in Summit Cove this past week.
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ENLARGE
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Jon Miles' son,Finn, enjoys the comfort of his dad's back as he plays with a truck on a recent afternoon.
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ENLARGE
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Steve Jones gives his children, Kaylee and Jack, a push in their Hummer as Finn Miles waits for his turn behind the wheel.
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SUMMIT COVE — Kaylee sucked her thumb and curled up safely on her dad's lap in the toy-decorated living room. The children's music played softly in the background as her brother ran in a circle carrying a stuffed animal.
He briefly stopped to ask their dad a question.
Steven Jones paused the conversation to patiently answer his almost 4-year-old son's second request for gum with a sweet but definite "no" before continuing.
"We decided that I should stay at home because my wife has a better job," Jones said with a smile. "It just worked out that I should be Mr. Mom."
And he is not alone in that. In fact, Jones is part of an increasing number of dads playing a larger role as caregivers.
The U.S Census Bureau estimated the number of stay-at-home dads to be 143,000 about nine months ago — a number up from 98,000 in 2003.
Also, 20 percent of fathers with employed wives were the primary caregiver for their preschooler and 32 percent of fathers regularly worked night shifts and were the primary caregiver while mom was at work. Up from 400,000 in 1970, the number of single fathers is now 2.3 million with 18 percent of those living with their children.
And in Summit County, where the number of dual income families is high because of the cost of living, 82 percent of moms work — one of the highest in the country.
Jon Jeffrey Miles, who is home during the day with his children, said, "The term stay-at-home dad or working mother, I wouldn't use either because we're a team."
He briefly stopped to ask their dad a question.
Steven Jones paused the conversation to patiently answer his almost 4-year-old son's second request for gum with a sweet but definite "no" before continuing.
"We decided that I should stay at home because my wife has a better job," Jones said with a smile. "It just worked out that I should be Mr. Mom."
And he is not alone in that. In fact, Jones is part of an increasing number of dads playing a larger role as caregivers.
The U.S Census Bureau estimated the number of stay-at-home dads to be 143,000 about nine months ago — a number up from 98,000 in 2003.
Also, 20 percent of fathers with employed wives were the primary caregiver for their preschooler and 32 percent of fathers regularly worked night shifts and were the primary caregiver while mom was at work. Up from 400,000 in 1970, the number of single fathers is now 2.3 million with 18 percent of those living with their children.
And in Summit County, where the number of dual income families is high because of the cost of living, 82 percent of moms work — one of the highest in the country.
Jon Jeffrey Miles, who is home during the day with his children, said, "The term stay-at-home dad or working mother, I wouldn't use either because we're a team."
<b>Home with dad</b>
The cost of daycare was a factor in both Miles' and Jones' decision to stay home with their children.
"With two kids in daycare you better have a good job because money will be coming in and going out," said Miles, who has two boys. His son Keenan, 5, started kindergarten this year at Dillon Valley Elementary, and Finn is turning 4 this month.
According to Early Childhood Options, daycare averages $40 a day, and it is more expensive for infants and toddlers or to be in a center versus a home daycare.
Miles and Jones both feel lucky to be able to stay home with their children. And while some days the clock cannot hit 5 p.m. fast enough, they said they wouldn't want to miss a moment.
"It goes by so fast," said Miles, as Finn climbed on his back and rolled on top of him playfully. "That's another reason to stay home."
When Miles and his wife, Jennifer Pratt Miles, who works as a mediator, first came up with the plan for him to be home with the boys during the day, outsiders had their doubts that he would keep it up. That was about five years ago, and he is still making it work, while bartending at the Blue Spruce Inn in Frisco four or five nights a week.
Miles smiled, "You get that a lot, 'I don't know how you do it.'"
Critics may also have had their doubts about Jones staying home. He and his wife, Patti, who works in the title business, have two little ones. Kaylee is 18 months old and Jack will be 4 on March 18.
"A lot of my friends who don't have kids think I don't do anything," Jones said.
But just spending an hour with him, Jack and Kaylee, it is easy to see that is not the case. Jones' day starts about 6 a.m. with "typical stuff any house mom would do," he said. Putting laundry away, making a chicken casserole for dinner, answering the never-ending questions and putting out small fires are just a few examples.
The cost of daycare was a factor in both Miles' and Jones' decision to stay home with their children.
"With two kids in daycare you better have a good job because money will be coming in and going out," said Miles, who has two boys. His son Keenan, 5, started kindergarten this year at Dillon Valley Elementary, and Finn is turning 4 this month.
According to Early Childhood Options, daycare averages $40 a day, and it is more expensive for infants and toddlers or to be in a center versus a home daycare.
Miles and Jones both feel lucky to be able to stay home with their children. And while some days the clock cannot hit 5 p.m. fast enough, they said they wouldn't want to miss a moment.
"It goes by so fast," said Miles, as Finn climbed on his back and rolled on top of him playfully. "That's another reason to stay home."
When Miles and his wife, Jennifer Pratt Miles, who works as a mediator, first came up with the plan for him to be home with the boys during the day, outsiders had their doubts that he would keep it up. That was about five years ago, and he is still making it work, while bartending at the Blue Spruce Inn in Frisco four or five nights a week.
Miles smiled, "You get that a lot, 'I don't know how you do it.'"
Critics may also have had their doubts about Jones staying home. He and his wife, Patti, who works in the title business, have two little ones. Kaylee is 18 months old and Jack will be 4 on March 18.
"A lot of my friends who don't have kids think I don't do anything," Jones said.
But just spending an hour with him, Jack and Kaylee, it is easy to see that is not the case. Jones' day starts about 6 a.m. with "typical stuff any house mom would do," he said. Putting laundry away, making a chicken casserole for dinner, answering the never-ending questions and putting out small fires are just a few examples.
"It teaches you patience. You learn to let the little things roll off your back," Jones said, followed with a laugh and admission that that is not always the case. "You straighten out the house and then Jack's giving Kaylee some juice and she's dumping it all over."
Even still, every day, these adorable, energetic little bundles of life make him laugh. One of their favorite activities is rocking out to '80s heavy metal (the songs without bad language, of course). Anything messy, like Jack gluing things to his sister's neck, are also favorite pastimes for the two.
Since Miles now has one in kindergarten, "things are getting a lot easier for me," he said. He loves "when you're out at the store or some place, they always put a smile on someone else's face."
Like any stay-at-home parent, these dads need breaks, and grandparents make that happen. Also, Jones escapes to Keystone to set up ski races some weekends which gives him a chance to regroup.
"Just being with them, it can be tough sometimes. You've got to have a lot of patience, but any time you're not with them is time you'll never get back," Jones said. "When they're both happy is the best time because a lot of the time they're both screaming," he added with a laugh and Jack emphasized with a scream.
<i>Lory Pounder can be reached at (970) 668-4628, or at lpounder@summitdaily.com.
</i>
Even still, every day, these adorable, energetic little bundles of life make him laugh. One of their favorite activities is rocking out to '80s heavy metal (the songs without bad language, of course). Anything messy, like Jack gluing things to his sister's neck, are also favorite pastimes for the two.
Since Miles now has one in kindergarten, "things are getting a lot easier for me," he said. He loves "when you're out at the store or some place, they always put a smile on someone else's face."
Like any stay-at-home parent, these dads need breaks, and grandparents make that happen. Also, Jones escapes to Keystone to set up ski races some weekends which gives him a chance to regroup.
"Just being with them, it can be tough sometimes. You've got to have a lot of patience, but any time you're not with them is time you'll never get back," Jones said. "When they're both happy is the best time because a lot of the time they're both screaming," he added with a laugh and Jack emphasized with a scream.
<i>Lory Pounder can be reached at (970) 668-4628, or at lpounder@summitdaily.com.
</i>
