Fathers Today vs. Fathers of Yesterday

I’m sure that no one would argue that the role of a Father today has changed greatly compared to our fathers who raised us and their fathers who raised them. Today the traditional role of “breadwinner” is not just held solely on the men in the family but now women can not only be equal contributors but in my case, the financial contributor to the family. While some of our fathers of yesterday may balk at this change and not understand it, it gives us fathers an awesome opportunity, one that generations ago did not value as much as we do today – we get to be far more involved with our child’s life.

The modern day father spends much more time with their kids than their own fathers had ever spent with them as a kid. I am far more affectionate and nurturing compared to my own father ever was. Certain fathers are a big supporter of the “walk it off” mantra. In his eyes, I am sure it seems that my wife and I are raising highly co-dependent and overly sensitive kids. By me hugging and wiping away tears when my child gets hurt, I am raising them to be weak adults who will crumble when someone challenges them.
The decision for me to stay at home with the Daisy-Ella in times gone by is one that he cannot wrap his head around. Why would I want to stay home? Isn’t bringing home money far more important than having the ability to raise your kids on your own and being the main caregiver? Isn’t that what childcare, babysitters and strangers are for?

Why is it that there are still too many people out there that associate money with happiness? We may not live in a 6,000 square foot home and we may not be able to purchase whatever our heart desires, but for those people who do have that ability – how many of them are truly happy?

I like to think it stems from a bit of jealousy that my certain fathers may have or a lack of emotional etiquette. I get to know my child on a level that many fathers’ generations ago could never have imagined. My relationship with her is close and I am able to provide her with a male role model that can be strong and nurturing at the same time. When the trend of children living and growing up without their fathers is on the rise – I was lucky to be on the opposite spectrum of fathers who get to be a caregiver. And my daughter is a whole lot of lucky too (though she may not realize it just yet).
Being a stay at home parent is a tough job. One that you really don’t know how difficult it is till you actually do it. My boss (aka Daisy-Ella) can be completely irrational, emotional and far too demanding. She may think she knows what she wants one minute and that can change in a second. I was constantly on call, overworked and recognition doesn’t come as frequently as it once did the older they get. Recognition in a whole was obsolete. But I love my little strawberry girl and being a stay at home parent is the best job I could ever had had.

One day again.. But I just don’t know.

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