Motherly instinct.

I have known many men that have a special instinct for care of children. My brother was one, from the time he was a young child other children were attracted to him. Throughtout his life he was a special friend and very protective of children. I don't think he mothered them so much as he treated each a seprate and valued person no matter how young. He did spend much of his family life as a self employeed person which allowed him to be a stay at home Dad while his wife worked outside the home at a regular job.

I think a stay at home dad would be fine depending on the relationship between parents and income factors. If she makes more and they can live off of one salary sure! Yea a mother wants to rear their kids, but in modern times Women want the best of both worlds being employable and raise a family.

I don't think the gender of the caretaker matters, just as long as the child is well taken care of.

Alot of men have female traits. Who is to say they don't also have female instincts. WOmen are gifted with this instinct and maybe men don't totally feel it but I think it would be logical if they did. Just like Patrick and Wesley must have had some female traits deep seated in them to have pulled off the female characted they played in Too Wong Foo Thanks For Everything Julie Newmar. How deep it goes I don't know.

I prefer to use parental instincts. As there are great mothers as well as dads too. My boyfriend has lots of actor friends who because of slow times they really do not work often. Therefore, many of the wives do work and they are stay at home dads. We play softball every Wednesday's on a team and lots of them bring their babies and children and it shows that the dads are doing a wonderful job. I have seen some of them look back precisely when the baby was about to wake up. Therefore, I feel it is more of a parental instinct.