MY FAMILY

It’s eight o’clock in the morning. Tom Martin’s wife gets up and gets ready for work. Tom stays at home with his kids, Billy, aged two years, and Eve, aged two months. About 1.4 million fathers in the UK stay at home to look after their children. Tom, thirty eight, is one of them. His wife Carol works for a construction company. After two years at home with their babies, she’s happy to be back at work. Tom, Billy and Eve have breakfast together. Then they look at picture books or Tom and Billy play ball in the park. Every day at eleven, Tom takes Billy to playgroup for two hours. Then he goes back home with Eve and works for an hour or two when the baby sleeps. Tom’s a programmer, so it is easy to work at home.Sharon Rivers, the playgroup teacher, says ‘ this situation is quite normal these days. In some families the mum looks after the children, but in many families, it’s the dad. Some fathers want to stay at home and look after their children; some fathers stay at home because their wife earns more money. The important thing is that they all love their children.’ When Carol comes home from work, Tom goes out for a game of tennis. In the evening, the family have dinner together. Billy and Eve go to bed at eight and then Carol and Tom can relax together and talk about their day. So, what is Tom’s advice to young fathers? ‘We have about fi fty years to work and make money, but only a few years to watch our babies grow. Don’t miss this important time.’

1 Billy and his dad

It’s eight o’clock in the morning. Tom Martin’s wife gets up and gets ready for work. Tom stays at home with his kids, Billy, aged two years, and Eve, aged two months. About 1.4 million fathers in the UK stay at home to look after their children. Tom, thirty eight, is one of them. His wife Carol works for a construction company. After two years at home with their babies, she’s happy to be back at work. Tom, Billy and Eve have breakfast together. Then they look at picture books or Tom and Billy play ball in the park. Every day at eleven, Tom takes Billy to playgroup for two hours. Then he goes back home with Eve and works for an hour or two when the baby sleeps. Tom’s a programmer, so it is easy to work at home.Sharon Rivers, the playgroup teacher, says ‘ this situation is quite normal these days. In some families the mum looks after the children, but in many families, it’s the dad. Some fathers want to stay at home and look after their children; some fathers stay at home because their wife earns more money. The important thing is that they all love their children.’ When Carol comes home from work, Tom goes out for a game of tennis. In the evening, the family have dinner together. Billy and Eve go to bed at eight and then Carol and Tom can relax together and talk about their day. So, what is Tom’s advice to young fathers? ‘We have about fi fty years to work and make money, but only a few years to watch our babies grow. Don’t miss this important time.’
2 Tom...

It’s eight o’clock in the morning. Tom Martin’s wife gets up and gets ready for work. Tom stays at home with his kids, Billy, aged two years, and Eve, aged two months. About 1.4 million fathers in the UK stay at home to look after their children. Tom, thirty eight, is one of them. His wife Carol works for a construction company. After two years at home with their babies, she’s happy to be back at work. Tom, Billy and Eve have breakfast together. Then they look at picture books or Tom and Billy play ball in the park. Every day at eleven, Tom takes Billy to playgroup for two hours. Then he goes back home with Eve and works for an hour or two when the baby sleeps. Tom’s a programmer, so it is easy to work at home.Sharon Rivers, the playgroup teacher, says ‘ this situation is quite normal these days. In some families the mum looks after the children, but in many families, it’s the dad. Some fathers want to stay at home and look after their children; some fathers stay at home because their wife earns more money. The important thing is that they all love their children.’ When Carol comes home from work, Tom goes out for a game of tennis. In the evening, the family have dinner together. Billy and Eve go to bed at eight and then Carol and Tom can relax together and talk about their day. So, what is Tom’s advice to young fathers? ‘We have about fi fty years to work and make money, but only a few years to watch our babies grow. Don’t miss this important time.’

3 The playgroup teacher thinks

It’s eight o’clock in the morning. Tom Martin’s wife gets up and gets ready for work. Tom stays at home with his kids, Billy, aged two years, and Eve, aged two months. About 1.4 million fathers in the UK stay at home to look after their children. Tom, thirty eight, is one of them. His wife Carol works for a construction company. After two years at home with their babies, she’s happy to be back at work. Tom, Billy and Eve have breakfast together. Then they look at picture books or Tom and Billy play ball in the park. Every day at eleven, Tom takes Billy to playgroup for two hours. Then he goes back home with Eve and works for an hour or two when the baby sleeps. Tom’s a programmer, so it is easy to work at home.Sharon Rivers, the playgroup teacher, says ‘ this situation is quite normal these days. In some families the mum looks after the children, but in many families, it’s the dad. Some fathers want to stay at home and look after their children; some fathers stay at home because their wife earns more money. The important thing is that they all love their children.’ When Carol comes home from work, Tom goes out for a game of tennis. In the evening, the family have dinner together. Billy and Eve go to bed at eight and then Carol and Tom can relax together and talk about their day. So, what is Tom’s advice to young fathers? ‘We have about fi fty years to work and make money, but only a few years to watch our babies grow.

4 When Carol comes home from work,

It’s eight o’clock in the morning. Tom Martin’s wife gets up and gets ready for work. Tom stays at home with his kids, Billy, aged two years, and Eve, aged two months. About 1.4 million fathers in the UK stay at home to look after their children. Tom, thirty eight, is one of them. His wife Carol works for a construction company. After two years at home with their babies, she’s happy to be back at work. Tom, Billy and Eve have breakfast together. Then they look at picture books or Tom and Billy play ball in the park. Every day at eleven, Tom takes Billy to playgroup for two hours. Then he goes back home with Eve and works for an hour or two when the baby sleeps. Tom’s a programmer, so it is easy to work at home.Sharon Rivers, the playgroup teacher, says ‘ this situation is quite normal these days. In some families the mum looks after the children, but in many families, it’s the dad. Some fathers want to stay at home and look after their children; some fathers stay at home because their wife earns more money. The important thing is that they all love their children.’ When Carol comes home from work, Tom goes out for a game of tennis. In the evening, the family have dinner together. Billy and Eve go to bed at eight and then Carol and Tom can relax together and talk about their day. So, what is Tom’s advice to young fathers? ‘We have about fi fty years to work and make money, but only a few years to watch our babies grow.

5 In the evening, Carol and Tom

1 Tom is

2 Billy and Eve are

3 Sharon is

4 Tom works

5 Carol works