Number of stay-at-home dads doubles in 10 years

A new study finds the number of stay-at-home dads has doubled in the past decade. The U.S. Census shows more men are full-time fathers.

According to the study from Boston College, the increase is simply a choice, not a reaction to being laid off.

Bob Strozinsky of Tampa rules the roost as a stay-at-home dad. It's a decision he and his wife made years ago. She travels often for her career in medical sales.

"I was in manufacturing management, which generally rides the cycles of the economy. It took five or 10 minutes of business school education to figure out my role was to stay at home and take care of the kids and help raise the family," he said.

Strozinsky is among a growing number of men who gave up their careers to care for their children from play time to book time. It's full time in every way.

"I'd be the one dad at the park with the newborn and the rest would be with the mothers, and it wasn't that they didn't make me feel welcome, it's just it wasn't a natural conversation thing," he said.

He believes men and women face the same challenges as stay-at-home parents. Men do remain vastly outnumbered by women. In fact 3.4 percent of stay-at-home parents are men. According to the U.S. Census, that's twice as many as 10 years ago. Blame the job market.

"It seemed to really start to take place when the economy was going down and there was less and less jobs available," said Carrie King of Hiregy.

Many families had the same conversation Strozinsky and his wife had years ago.

"In some instances they are going back to work and they are looking for their full time position, but in many incidences they just need to bring some more money in to the family so they're just looking for a position to supplement," King said.

Just don't underestimate the learned skillset of a full time father.

"It's changed me from the business school, executive hard-driving person to a go-with-the-flow, you've got to just let go sometimes," Strozinsky added.