Compared to their parents, Millennial fathers have roughly tripled the amount of time they spend with kids. The new American dad is more present and more exhausted—but also, more satisfied with life.
Being an active father is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. Not only does it give you rich relationships when your children are young and at home but it lays the foundation for rich relationships when your children are adults. I was born in 1962 so I could easily have been more of a boomer dad on the sidelines but my wife pushed me early on to make my very young children a priority, and I'm forever grateful to her for that.
Another factor at work here is that today fathers, like everyone else, are at home more of the time (no data, just what I think I see). Work from home is part of this, but even more so for everyone in "leisure" time. The decline in community participation - church, clubs, organizations - and in non-home recreation ( bowling leagues, hanging out in bars, etc.) simply puts Dad in the home for more hours.
Wonderful piece, and I'm grateful for the shoutout to my book! I've written about this idea that "dads have more fun" - there's evidence that parenting time is more enjoyable for fathers:
This is a great piece and I would love to see more pieces like this. While I appreciate the fair and balanced perspectives presented here, I would recommend reading ‘Making Motherhood Work’ which isn’t just about Motherhood with a capital M but about how work impacts parenting. Thanks again for this piece.
I am a child of the 1950s. My father spent more time with me than any of my friends' fathers spent with them....by a long shot.
I would caddy for him weekly. I loved it. We'd talk, he'd give me math problems, and then after the front nine I'd get my Nehi Grape (you'll welcome Radar).
We went to 50s western films together regularly. I saw all of the great ones.
Every year he would come to my school and spend the day with me. I loved it. All of the children would gather round him and me. He was the only parent who did this.
I would go with him to sweep out the Katz Department Store attic where we held church. On Saturday nights they would have dinners/parties there and it would be filthy. We'd get up early on Sundays to do this together. Just me and him.
I modeled all of my parenting after him.
I miss him so much. I'm starting to cry, so I'll sign off.
Being an active father is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. Not only does it give you rich relationships when your children are young and at home but it lays the foundation for rich relationships when your children are adults. I was born in 1962 so I could easily have been more of a boomer dad on the sidelines but my wife pushed me early on to make my very young children a priority, and I'm forever grateful to her for that.
Another factor at work here is that today fathers, like everyone else, are at home more of the time (no data, just what I think I see). Work from home is part of this, but even more so for everyone in "leisure" time. The decline in community participation - church, clubs, organizations - and in non-home recreation ( bowling leagues, hanging out in bars, etc.) simply puts Dad in the home for more hours.
That’s in the piece! Check out explanation 3 :)
Note to self: must read more carefully!
Loved this! Thanks for writing and sharing. And congrats on being a new dad (from a new mom!) 🐣
Wonderful piece, and I'm grateful for the shoutout to my book! I've written about this idea that "dads have more fun" - there's evidence that parenting time is more enjoyable for fathers:
https://darbysaxbe.substack.com/p/dads-really-do-have-more-fun
This is a great piece and I would love to see more pieces like this. While I appreciate the fair and balanced perspectives presented here, I would recommend reading ‘Making Motherhood Work’ which isn’t just about Motherhood with a capital M but about how work impacts parenting. Thanks again for this piece.
I am a child of the 1950s. My father spent more time with me than any of my friends' fathers spent with them....by a long shot.
I would caddy for him weekly. I loved it. We'd talk, he'd give me math problems, and then after the front nine I'd get my Nehi Grape (you'll welcome Radar).
We went to 50s western films together regularly. I saw all of the great ones.
Every year he would come to my school and spend the day with me. I loved it. All of the children would gather round him and me. He was the only parent who did this.
I would go with him to sweep out the Katz Department Store attic where we held church. On Saturday nights they would have dinners/parties there and it would be filthy. We'd get up early on Sundays to do this together. Just me and him.
I modeled all of my parenting after him.
I miss him so much. I'm starting to cry, so I'll sign off.