After Losing His Job, Father of 6 Goes from Breadwinner to ‘Tradwife.’ He Was Shocked by How It Changed His Marriage (Exclusive)

• Sharon and Kerry Johnson have been married for over a decade and share six children together.
• In September 2024, Kerry was laid off from his job, causing the couple to reevaluate their roles around the house.
• After 14 years of being a stay-at-home mom, Sharon made the decision to transition into the breadwinner. Kerry has been supporting his wife’s passions and takes pride in his new “tradwife” title.

After 16 years of marriage and six children, Sharon and Kerry Johnson made the bold decision to flip traditional gender roles in their household. 

What followed was a profound shift in their family dynamic. As Sharon transitioned from a stay-at-home mom of 14 years into the role of the breadwinner, Kerry became the primary caregiver and homemaker.

Sharon’s entry into the workforce came unexpectedly after her husband Kerry was laid off in September 2024, and since then, the couple has been navigating this new phase together.

Growing up in a Mormon community where nearly all women stayed at home, Sharon wanted to expose her children to the possibility of different paths. Now, as she pursues a career in social media, while also advocating for mental health, she feels a strong sense of pride in being the example she always hoped to set.

“Like, the first time my kids heard my voice on my podcast, they all cheered and clapped and I just sobbed,” Sharon tells PEOPLE exclusively. “I always wanted my kids to have examples of women around them that had careers and that did something different than stay-at-home moms.”

However, the transition from traditional wife to breadwinner was an unexpected journey. After more than a decade of caring for her children and managing the home, the pair faced a new reality when Kerry was laid off from his job, leading them to find a solution together.

With a master’s degree in health administration, Kerry had spent most of his career working in clinical and hospital settings, most recently with a tech company focusing on credentialing. 

“It was interesting that each of those three jobs have ended for really kind of strange circumstances, and I almost sort of started to feel like maybe the universe is telling us to, like, reevaluate this,” Kerry reflects. Despite the obstacles thrown his way, Kerry chose to embrace the opportunity to be the primary caregiver and homemaker, fully supporting Sharon’s new role.

Kerry’s transition has been both fulfilling and challenging. As the stay-at-home partner, he handles appointments, manages the kids’ daily schedules and supports the family in ways he hadn’t before.

When asked how he feels about people dubbing him a “tradwife” online, Kerry says he has no issues with it whatsoever. “I actually think I probably wear it a little bit more as like a badge of pride than anything,” he adds. 

The change has been eye-opening for him, especially after realizing how much he had missed by working long hours at his previous jobs. As a result, the father of six has become closer to his children.

“That’s been easily the most pleasant aspect of it,” Kerry reveals. “So I have no issues whatsoever saying that I’m the homemaker – whatever title you want to use – because it feels like a pretty unique opportunity to be in that position, actually.”

He’s present for the school drop-offs, the morning routines and all the after-school moments he missed in the past. “I’ve definitely noticed the change in myself, how I pick up on their moods and what’s going on with them when they come home from school,” Kerry says. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to know them in that way.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

For Sharon, the shift has brought a sense of relief. No longer does she have to carry the entire weight of managing a home and her children’s schedules. With Kerry’s support, she feels like they’re finally functioning as a team.

“It’s been really beautiful seeing his relationship grow with the kids, that he’s just able to be there in a way that he’s never been before,” Sharon explains. “I have so much less stress just trying to keep up with appointments and extracurriculars and grades, and I don’t feel like I’m just doing it all alone.”

She says the new dynamic has allowed them to understand each other better. They’re on the same page more than ever before, and she feels like a true partner to Kerry in all aspects of their life.

“It finally feels like we’re a family unit, and it’s not just mom and the kids, and then dad, and I’m having to fill him in and keep him up to date,” Sharon says. “We get to be all one family now, and I think for the first time for me, like I feel like a partner, like we feel like we’re on a team together.”

Though the financial shift has been challenging, Sharon believes the benefits outweigh the struggles. Seeing Kerry more relaxed, compared to the stress he experienced in previous jobs, has made the financial strain worth it.

“Taking a hit financially, I think, is worth it for the lifestyle that we have now,” Sharon says. While Sharon initially feared how their decision might be received by her community, she and Kerry have been pleasantly surprised by the positive support they’ve received.

Their children, especially, have embraced the change. Sharon is proud when they get excited to see her on TV or hear her voice on the news, a moment she never thought she’d experience.

“Seeing my kids light up at me working… I never imagined having that,” she says. “I’ve never experienced that as a child, and that was amazing to be able to not only just give my girls, but also all of my kids.”

Looking ahead, the couple is taking things one day at a time. Neither of them is sure if this role reversal will last forever, but they’re committed to making it work as long as they can. “There’s just a degree of unknown in that that makes it feel like we can’t plan too far ahead, but so far so good,” Kerry says. “So, you know, as long as we can continue with it, then we’ll try to.”

The experience has been life-changing, and Sharon feels confident that their family dynamic has forever shifted, no matter if they have to eventually switch back. “I think regardless of what happens like this has fundamentally shifted our family and our perception of careers and jobs and work,” Sharon explains.

As for whether they recommend their gender role switch to other couples, Sharon believes that experiencing each other’s responsibilities firsthand could benefit any partnership.

“I think it’s very enlightening to our marriage, to the different roles that we play in our marriage and our family, and that even if we did go back, is hugely beneficial,” she tells PEOPLE. “I feel like I understand him so much more. I feel like he understands me so much more. And I think we’re just able to be a better partnership because of that.”