The Life Of John Lennon As A ‘Stay-At-Home Dad’

During the 1960s and early ’70s, John Lennon was more than just a Beatle—he was an international icon. With his sharp lyrics, witty comebacks, cool sunglasses, and peace-promoting attitude, Lennon was the “thinking man’s Beatle,” equal parts rock star and philosopher.

But in the last five years of his life, Lennon did something unexpected: he disappeared from the spotlight. Instead of touring or making records, he stayed home inside New York’s famous Dakota building, choosing fatherhood and family over fame. While many fans still celebrate Lennon’s wild Beatlemania days or his protests for peace, those who knew him best say his quiet final years tell an equally powerful story.

A New Focus: Family Over Fame

“If he knew he was going to die, and if he was able to choose the period of his life that would be the focus in the future, it would be this period,” said writer David Sheff, who spent three weeks interviewing Lennon and his family in 1980.

“He was so alive, and he felt that he had something important to say about raising his baby and marriage. That’s the story he would want told, I think,” Sheff added.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times that fall, Lennon explained his decision to step away from music:

“Finally, Yoko said, ‘You don’t have to do it anymore.’ I was shocked. I had never thought that: Could the world get along without another John Lennon album? Could I get along without it? I finally realized that the answer to both questions was yes.”

Mr. Mom: John’s Years as a Stay-at-Home Dad

From 1976 to 1980, Lennon poured himself into being a full-time father to his son Sean. He called himself a “house husband,” walking Sean through Central Park, baking bread, and even playing silly games. While his wife Yoko Ono handled the family business affairs, John took over parenting duties.

“He was probably, in those years, the most notable stay-at-home dad in America,” said Larry Kane, author of Lennon Revealed. And even though they had help from a nanny, Lennon was fully present. “John talked baby talk, tickled [Sean], threw him in the air, slipped him between his knees and prompted him with spontaneous learning games. … There was no mistaking it: John was Sean’s mommy,” Sheff wrote.

Making Peace with a Complicated Past

Of course, Lennon wasn’t perfect. He openly admitted he had been emotionally and physically abusive in the past, especially toward his first wife Cynthia. His relationship with his first son, Julian, was distant for many years. In 1998, Julian told The Daily Telegraph:

“I have to say that, from my point of view, I felt he was a hypocrite. Dad could talk about peace and love out loud to the world, but he could never show it to the people who supposedly meant the most to him: his wife and son.”

Even Paul McCartney saw the strain between father and son, writing “Hey Jude” (originally “Hey Jules”) to comfort Julian during his parents’ divorce.

But later in life, Lennon tried to make things right. “He offered a brutally self-critical assessment of who he had been as a man,” Sheff said. “I think he was trying to make amends for the person he had been.”

A New Sound, A Fresh Start

Despite the peaceful family life, Lennon wasn’t done creating. In August 1980, he and Yoko started recording Double Fantasy—his first album in five years. It was a celebration of his home life, love for Yoko, and pride as a father.

He explained to The New York Times on November 9, 1980:

“In a way, we’re involved in a kind of experiment. Could the family be the inspiration for art, instead of drinking or drugs or whatever? I’m interested in finding that out.”

The album’s opening track, “(Just Like) Starting Over,” set the tone, and “Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy),” written for Sean, became one of Lennon’s most touching songs.

Gone Too Soon, Remembered Forever

Less than a month after that interview, Lennon was shot and killed outside his apartment building on December 8, 1980. The world mourned a rock legend, a peace activist, and a father who was just beginning a new chapter of his life.

While his Beatles years will always be the stuff of legend, Lennon’s quiet, reflective final years may be his most human—and perhaps, his most meaningful.