PARENT TRAP
Re: “Lessons from the longest paternity leave ever,” March 30, 2017
@5kids1condo: Going to rant a bit on this article, bear with me. […] Everything is OK until the last paragraph. Don’t like the devaluing of one job (work) vs another (child-rearing) implied by “work is actually the break.” That’s not a productive comparison when the ideal for most partners is an equal mix of work and kids for both people. It also perpetuates the stereotype of “men don’t get how hard being a parent is!” – which scares more men off from parenting than encourages them. Personally, I find parenting empowering and rewarding. I don’t have time for the well-worn “frazzled dad” cliché. The dads I know are capable, strong, involved and, if anything, would prefer to spend even more time with their kids, versus at work. Unfortunately, full-time work is still a necessity for dads – and many moms – these days. But let’s not say one is easier than the other. If you’ve ever read Josh Levs’ book, All In, you know the concepts of female gatekeeping and male privilege, in the context of parenting/work. Statements like “work is the break” feed into this destructive “who has it harder?” competitive narrative that disadvantages both sexes.