I was a stay at home dad. My son is 15 now, so I’ve had years of this. There were a couple of things I did. I found a gym that had a little daycare attached, so I started working out. Started running & joined their informal running group. I have never stopped running, actively seeking running friends. It’s like therapy.

Also, I used to meet up with people at the park, befriended some nannies & mothers, so there was always someone to talk to. It was little harder than I thought being a guy hanging with mostly women.

Lastly, I took up some volunteering jobs at the school.

Looking back, the depression was coming not from staying home but from my dependent position in the family. I’ve never recovered my career, and I will be 50 soon. But at the same time, I have this good relationship with my teenage son. I know I would do it all over as compared placing my child to daycare for 10 hour days.