Not every dad would willingly spend their days changing dirty diapers and wiping runny noses.

But for stay-at-home dads David LaHuta and Will Caulder it’s proven to be their greatest life adventure so far.

Mr LaHuta said he fell into the role of chief caregiver of his two sons “quite naturally”.

He was a freelance journalist when he and his wife, Joy, relocated to the Island in 2009. When they welcomed their first son Jackson, four years ago, it made sense that he would take charge during the day.

Early on the role was filled with new challenges — but exciting ones.

“I tried to make it fun from those early days so we go on a lot of adventures, which is a hit with both of my kids,” Mr LaHuta said.

“I always try to make it the best day possible. So when Jackson was a little younger I would say, ‘Let’s pop on our adventure hats and backpack and go down to Church Bay’. We spent a lot of time exploring our neighbourhood and the local environment. We wouldn’t bring one toy with us and instead pick up a stone, listen to the waves and just use those beautiful places around us as our natural playground.”

Mr LaHuta has learned a lot about resourcefulness from his time as a travel writer, which has taken him to more than 60 countries around the world. It’s a skill that comes in very handy as a parent.

“My backpack has everything I could possibly need in it,” he said. “One thing I’ve learned is you have to always prepare for the worst.

“One time I was in New York City with the kids. My eldest, Jackson, isn’t an incredibly picky eater, but sometimes likes things a certain way.

“We were at the Intrepid, Sea, Air & Space Museum and after we tried the shops, saw the helicopters and planes, decided to grab lunch. The only problem is there wasn’t anything he would eat. I asked if they could make him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but they didn’t have any peanut butter. I had some in my bag.

“So just being able to roll with the punches of daily life is important.”

Mr Caulder said he’s also been having fun as a stay-at-home dad to 20-month-old twins, Thomas and Andrew, and four-year-old James.

He already had lots of training and experience with children — he’d worked as a schoolteacher for 14 years — and his wife Jennifer made a lot more money than he did. They decided it would be best for him to stay at home full-time.

“It was madness at first,” Mr Caulder said. “I went to every birth class around. They were pointless. I read the books, also pointless.

“No one tells you to get ready for getting pooped, peed and puked on — all at the same time. Lots of time should be spent explaining the fourth trimester. It’s a real thing. It’s those first three months of your child’s life which are the hardest.”

The day finally came when Mr Caulder had a light bulb moment and realised he could do it. After living on the Island for 11 years, his wife’s job recently took their family to Virginia.

Getting support in both locations has been crucial, he said.

“I have a core group of female friends, they are angels,” he explained. “They accepted me and took me in; never blinked that I was a dude. I could not have made it without them.

“The challenge comes from people who don’t know you and make comments like I’m an idiot who doesn’t know which end to feed or clean. The challenges of being the primary caregiver don’t change just because I’m a guy. You’re tired, giving it your all and you feel like it isn’t enough.”

The reward that comes from spending lots of hands-on time with his sons can’t be put into words, he said.

“The best parts aren’t me watching them pull up for the first time, or take that first step. It’s watching the determination and joy they have in doing it,” he said.

“My son Thomas learned how to jump up and down last week and that’s all he wants to do now.”

Although everyone has their own parenting style, Mr LaHuta has found that dads tend to be best at letting their children get a little dirty or making a few mistakes.

“We tend to be a little more hands-off and let the kids make their own choices, instead of telling them what not to do,” he said. “I tell my boys to go ahead and try something new and if you fall down I can help you get back up again. It’s a style of parenting that has worked for me.”

Both men agree there are some stereotypes that come with being a stay-at-home dad.

Mr LaHuta said some people don’t even realise that such a thing exists.

“A lot of times if I’m around town or checking out at the grocery store counter I hear from people who make the comment, ‘Oh hanging out with dad today?’. I just say, ‘Yeah, every day’. A lot of people don’t get that this is my job.

“But I do get a lot of smiling faces through the day because I think that people, especially here in Bermuda, like to see a dad who is participating in their kid’s lives. I also get a lot of encouragement from people on the street like: ‘Doing great dad’.”

Mr LaHuta recently set up a Facebook page to help connect fathers on the Island: www.facebook.com/BermudaDad.