Stockton Record (Stockton, CA)

Father time
Stay-at-home-dads filling need with regular play group outings

By Paula Sheil
Record Staff Writer
Record photos by Douglas Rider
Published Sunday, March 6, 2005

LIFT OFF: Kelly Gonser picks up his daughter Taylor Gonser, 2, as she jumps on him in the play area at Weberstown Mall. Gonser and other stay-at-home-dads met there for a play group.

"Tom Henry discovered what moms have known for decades. Staying at home with the kids can be boring, even when it's what you really want.

The 37-year-old Stockton dad is totally committed to sharing the care of his son, but he felt there had to be something more stimulating than trips to the store or to the doctor's office.

He tried hanging out with his wife's play group, and Bowen, who's 2, was cool with it, but Henry didn't fit in.

So he started his own stay-at-home-dads club, plastering flyers in libraries and community centers and posting a notice on Meetup.com, a Web site for people to create an interest group.

JAIL BREAK: Tom Henry, left, keeps his son Bowen, 2, from escaping from the play area as Dayv Glusing also tries to keep his son Grant, 1, from leaving.

"I started looking around at Christmastime to see if there were any dads groups," Henry said. "I thought Stockton's got a quarter-million people; there's got to be some."

He was right.

Dayv Glusing found out about the group at the Stockton ice rink where he practices hockey every week. Kelly Gonser of Tracy scored on the Web site.

The three dads met on a recent Thursday morning at Weberstown Mall's play center for an hour of chasing kids and swapping stories..."

TIME TO GO: Dayv Glusing gets his son, Grant, 1, ready to leave the play area at Weberstown Mall by putting his sock back on.

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