Stay-at-home dads

'I felt really strongly that I didn't want to miss out on the children growing up by working long hours. My wife, Marilyn, is a primary teacher who really enjoys her job, and she knew she wanted to go back at the end of her maternity leave. As a self-employed musician, I can pick and choose my daytime hours, so it all made sense.

'During the day, I do a lot of my rehearsing with the other two band members, interspersed with nappy changing, feeding and general childcare. Luckily the other two also have children, so they're quite understanding. Recording is too difficult to do with the girls around, though, so they're about to go to a childminder one day a week. It was Marilyn who suggested it, as she knows how frustrating it is for me not to be able to record, but I'm going to find incredibly difficult to let the girls go.

'We live in a small rural community where people are surprisingly flexible and accepting of what I do. I know of fathers in urban areas who've had a terrible time trying to be accepted by women at mother-and-baby groups and in the school playground.

'I believe a lot of men could have a much greater role in bringing up their children, but the system is generally set up for women. I've had to go into women's loos before now to change the girls. When they get to the stage where they can manage a toilet, what will I do then?'