Father nets a good life with tennis-loving daughter

Unlike many stay-at-home dads in China, "Michael", a Chinese-born man who lives with his wife and daughter in Orlando, Florida, experienced little opposition to his plan to quit work and devote himself to his family.

The 48-year-old, who preferred not to give his Chinese name, has been acting as a stay-at-home dad for more than a year. He had noticed his 10-year-old daughter showed a great talent for tennis and wanted her to receive professional training, so he discussed the matter with his wife and resigned his job in the finance sector.

He also discussed his idea with his parents and in-laws, who were all easily convinced by his plan.

"Some people in China may criticize a man who stays home to take care of the children, but in the United States things are not that complicated. My friends show more understanding of my choice, and some people even admire my lifestyle. After all, it's my life," he said.

Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics in 2019 showed that women spend about twice as much time as men doing unpaid work, such as escorting children to school, coaching their studies, taking them to activities, caring for them and doing housework.

In China, traditional ideas related to gender roles mean it is generally taken for granted that mothers or grandparents will take care of the children.

Being a stay-at-home dad in China requires men to overcome a wealth of negative connotations.

When asked what he will do when his daughter grows up, Michael said he may find another job, but he does not want to go to work anymore.

"With my wife's support, I quite enjoy my current situation. I also have time to indulge my interests after I send my daughter to school," he said.

Having saved a lot of money while working full time, he is now free to devote himself to his family and housework.

He treats his daughter's training seriously and thinks more practice could perfect her skills.

Getting up at 6 am every day, he plays tennis with his daughter for around two hours, makes breakfast and then sends her to school.

He was born and raised in Shanghai, and he used to play the cello. His parents made him train hard, so he won several awards.

He believes that those childhood experiences have influenced the methods he uses to educate his own daughter.