Stay at Home Dad Returning to the Workforce

 Hello all,

I'm a stay at home dad considering a return to the workforce. I am young (28) and spent 2 years out taking care of and bonding with my daughter. I loved it, but circumstances are starting to convince me that perhaps the best idea will be to get back into the game.

I'm a manager by trade, mostly in physical things (acquisition, transport, storage, sales and installation of various hardware, shipping electronics all over the world, and a few other good career strengths.) I'm reading online to hide the fact that I was a stay at home dad as hiring managers will immediately reject me as unsuitable.

That doesn't sit well with me for a variety of reasons. I'm honest - and obfuscating where I've spent the vast majority of my time the last couple years with contractor and volunteer work seems duplicitous to me. It also seems that if I get into an interview and have to explain my recent work experience and say "Oh yeah I'm a stay at home dad, I just didn't list it there," it would be a mark against me. I am also in no small measure proud of my time as a stay at home father, proud of my accomplishments there, proud of how close I am to my daughter now and felt that a lot of my workplace skills (crisis management, planning, organization, communication) were only further refined by a couple years having to run parent meetups, book clubs (for parents who needed a break) and just the day to day of running the house and ensuring a really curious, physically gifted toddler was entertained day in and day out.

I am tempted to say "screw it, if a hiring manager can't see the strength in that, do I want to work for them?" but I also want to be effective. Does anyone have any feedback regarding what the right thing to do for me would be?