National Public Radio this week did a fairly significant segment on involuntary stay-at-home (SAH) dads, and how at least a decent percentage of them might grapple with going back to work once the economy improves.

On the surface, the story was a harmless and superficial treatment of an issue that may or may not be news, considering that women are getting laid off in the current economic climate, too.

The story also seemed a bit formulaic; how many times have we read stories about SAH dads that start with an anecdote from a random playgroup and eventually transition into another anecdote about a dad who hated the situation at first but later grew to love it? Even those among us who aren’t actually SAH dads could write this stuff in our sleep.

After listening to the NPR report, I hit the Internet to gauge reaction from some of the daddy bloggers whom I read on a regular basis. My favorite perspective came from Rebel Dad (aka Brian Reid), who lambastes NPR for what he calls a “half-hearted” report. My favorite line:

“Sure, it’s new that dads are facing this challenge, but it’s not a new challenge, the answers aren’t new.”

If you’re not familiar with Reid’s work, check it out—it deserves much more of your time than the NPR piece. And if you’ve got an opinion about that public radio story, or you’re currently a SAH dad due to cataclysmic changes in the workplace, feel free to share your insights here.