Out Of A Job And Into The Home

Tough Financial Times Have Forced Some Dads To Assume A New Role: Househusband

Yet his wife assured him that he was doing just that by taking care of their home. The two evaluated their finances and concluded that they could survive finanancially for a few months more.

"As a society, we believe we're trained" to provide financially, says Adelsberger. "Mentally, I still had some concept of 'This is what I have to do; this is what I need to do.' I felt that way until I had a chance to step back and look at the big picture. But I do know that at some time I'll need to get back to my gig."

Until then, he's making the best of the time, helping out coaching his elder daughter's lacrosse team, working out at the gym to relieve stress (he's made a few job contacts there) and doing the share of the cooking, which he did when he and Lauren first married.

Plus, he's conjured up a few memorable family moments. Adelsberger said that initially, Audrey understood that he had lost his job. As time wore on, however, it didn't make sense that he was still out of work.

"Daddy, I don't understand," Audrey said. "If you lost your job, just go find it. It's not that hard. I lose stuff all the time."