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Home › Articles › Fatherhood › Equal Billing

Equal Billing

8 Concerns of New Fathers

By Hogan Hilling

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Mothers can be very hard on fathers when it comes to caring for a baby. After a father diapers, dresses or feeds a baby, instead of saying thank you, most mothers usually follow up with words of criticism, because it wasn't done the way she likes it done.

Dads feel like no matter how hard they try, it was never good enough for Mom.

Balancing Work and Family
Corporate America has also not been kind to fathers. Most dads would like to spend more time with their families. But if they do, they fear it will jeopardize a possible promotion and even their job.

Peer Pressure
Dads also fear their male friends will question their masculinity for being an involved father and prompt remarks like "That's a woman's job!" or "Who wears the pants in the family?" It has been said that if it takes two people, a man and a woman, to make a baby, then it stands to reason that it will take two parents, a mom and a dad, to care for and raise a child.

If we, as a society, want dads to make more of an effort to understand what moms go through and commit to becoming proactive, involved, nurturing fathers, then we must give fathers equal billing and become much more attentive to their concerns and needs.

Encouraging Dad's Participation

Here are four TIPS that will encourage and increase a father's participation in caring for his child:

T
stands for Trust. Trust in a man's ability to care for a baby. Too often dads are met with skepticism or funny looks when they are alone with a baby.

I
stands for Invite. Invite dads to be more interactive with their child. Too often they are told what to do and not asked to participate.

P
stands for Permission. Give dads permission to be loving, nurturing, playful fathers. Too often dads receive mixed messages that tells them not to get involved.

S
stands for Support. Provide dads with forums where they can discuss father-related issues with each other. Too often dads have no place to go where they can resolve the challenges they face as fathers.

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