Wang Ke is so busy looking after his 3-year-old daughter that he doesn't start writing novels and drawing comics for a newspaper until 9 pm.

The Shanghai resident, 36, quit his job in February 2011 as an art director at a children's photography studio, earning about 10,000 yuan ($1,584) a month.

"I hardly have any spare time during the day," he says, even though his mother also cares for the child, cooks and cleans.

Wang says his father was not happy about the decision to stay at home to begin with as he thought a man should go out and earn money.

Wang responds: "I don't think staying at home is a shame as I still can make money."

Wang's wife works at a bioengineering company where she earns about 5,000 yuan a month.

"We needed someone to stay at home and take care of our daughter," Wang says. "If my wife quit her job, she could not make a penny, but in my case the situation is different."

Wang rents a house for 2,000 yuan a month, as they can't afford to buy, though they have savings.

He says he is better tempered staying at home as he has learned to deal with his emotions.

"You can't imagine how hard it is to communicate with a child. But it is so sweet to witness your child growing up."

Wang makes about 4-5,000 yuan a month from royalties from his novels and comics, but says this is not enough to send his kid to a good kindergarten.

"If I can't make more from my creative work within two to three years, I will go back to work," he says.

lixinzhu@chinadaily.com.cn