His baby son's poor sleeping habits were the "blasting fuse"that ignited Zhu Xiaoke's decision to quit his job 10 months ago and temporarily become a full-time dad.

"He used to sleep too much in the afternoon and didn't sleep after midnight, which was a big headache for me," said Zhu Xiaoke, a post-1980s father from Changde, Central China's Hunan province.

The child, who was born in May 2012, was being cared for by his grandparents. The father thought his son would be naughty when he grew up. Apart from handling some daily necessities, his grandparents could not put more energy into his education.

"Time flies, and perhaps 4 or 5 years after they're born, you may find that it's too late for you to walk into their world because they already have their own friends," he said.

"This is a key period that shapes a child's character and behavior," so after discussing it with his family, Zhu quit his job to better care for his son. "His mother is not a details-oriented person and his grandma suffers from high blood pressure," Zhu said.

Zhu held a well-paid job at a foreign company in Changde and had saved some money. His wife also had a good job, so his resignation had little impact on his family's economic situation. (More)