Do Modern Dads Get Enough Credit?
Now more than ever, dads are stepping up to take a more active role in child rearing and housework. Some are asking, do modern dads get enough credit for this? More and more fathers are becoming the primary caregivers of their children. The number of stay-at-home dads has doubled since the late '80s. The time they spend with them has tripled since 1965.
5 News talked with one couple that's been married for 33 years. They said they can see how the role of a father has shifted. "The roles are less traditional now. It's more like an equal partnership," said Mike Zetwo, who's been married for 33 years. They said their son-in-law is a prime example. "Our son-in-law is a nurse and our daughter is a teacher. He works three days out of the week and watches their baby. It works out great," said Lorrie Zetwo, Mike's wife.
Experts said fatherhood is "kind of a foreign country" compared with what it was like just a few decades ago. With that being said, the media and marketers should try to catch up. Oren Miller, a father of two who created a Facebook group for dad bloggers, said men have come a long way. "There's this movement of guys being very upfront about their experiences as dads and wanting to engage with all these complicated emotional questions we have as parents," said Miller.
Some modern dads say they want more policies to help support them in their quest to play a bigger role in their children's lives, like paid paternity leave. They hope with social media, they can help this cultural change become a reality.