It’s 2016.
We have a feminist Prime Minister who has a young and ethnically diverse cabinet, with a ministerial team that for the first time in the country’s history is equally balanced between men and women.
Times are clearly changing, yet people still think it’s unusual for men to want to take on more parental responsibilities. Indeed, the term “stay-at-home-dad” hasn’t quite found a happy home.
Which comes as a surprise, as a recent study by Fatherhood Institute’s Fairness In Families Index (FIFI) found that Canada ranks seventh out of 22 countries when it comes to moms and dads sharing child care responsibilities. This is a significant jump from 2010, when Canada ranked 12th.
The study was conducted by the London School of Economics, and it looked at data from multiple sources, including the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The ranking is based on a number of factors, such as parental leave, gender wage gap, and ratios of men and women caring for children and doing housework.
“There are significant benefits – for women, men and children – when fathers provide competent care beyond the role of breadwinner, and mothers participate substantially in the paid workforce,” the study reads. “These benefits include but are not limited to, women’s empowerment and the promotion of gender equality more broadly.”
Gone are the days of stereotype mothers who spend the day cooking and cleaning, waiting for their bread-winning husband to return home from work.
Now the roles are reversing, and more men are beginning to stay home to raise the kids while mom pursues a career.
And while some still scoff at this concept, if it’s making the lives of both parents easier, why shouldn’t the dad stay at home?
When a father makes this sacrifice, he’s doing what works best to create happy lives for his children while giving his partner the opportunity to advance.
Not to mention, studies have found that fathers play a unique and important role in their children’s development, and that more involved dads can actually have an important effect on their child’s health and well-being.
Today, more women are getting degrees than ever before, which sets mothers up for a wealth of career opportunities. Women are finally reaching parity with the men in their fields, and even excelling.
Many assume that mothers would rather stay home than work if given the choice, and that dad is cool with leaving the house. But that’s not always the case. On the flip side, more dads are deciding that they would prefer to be home with their children.
According to a Pew Research Study, the number of stay-at-home fathers in the past decade has doubled since the ’70s, a that figure that is expected to grow, especially as more wives take on the breadwinning role in their marriages.
So as times continue to change and roles reverse, couples need to find the best situation for their relationship. If that means dad stays at home so mom can work full-time, then great.
Parenthood will always be a juggling act, and you’ll find a way to make things work.
And surprisingly enough, eventually your children will reach an age when they no longer need parental supervision and both parents can work full-time.
If dad wants to, that is.
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