Father, Family and Work – Contemporary Perspectives

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Father, Family and Work – Contemporary Perspectives

Fathers in the contemporary world hold different perspectives towards work-family balance. In a study conducted by Lee and Waite (2005), almost half (47%) of the fathers believed that the main role of a father is to provide. However, only 23% of the fathers believed that childcare should fully be a mother’s responsibility. More than half of the fathers (55%) believed that the parent with a higher salary or wage should concentrate more on work, regardless of whether it is the father or the mother. 63% of the fathers believed that fathers should be more involved in taking care of their children. The view of most fathers is that although work is important, a father should spend more time and give priority to their children. They believe that policies towards fatherhood should be designed in a way that allows them to be more committed to their children (Lee & Waite, 2005).

Majority of fathers feel that domestic labor should be divided equally between partners. However, most fathers encounter challenges that hinder them from taking more time doing domestic chores (Clarke & McKay, 2008). Most fathers value jobs that are flexible and that allow them more time to spend with their families. Studies have shown that in most cases, fathers hold similar views towards work-family balance and time to spend in domestic labor. However, they differ on some points. In comparison to mothers, fathers are less likely to believe that taking care of children is the sole responsibility of the mother. More fathers than mothers believe that it is the responsibility of both parents and the parent who is paid more to provide for the family financially. Finally, more fathers than mothers believe that the father should spend more time at work and less time doing domestic chores (Jones, Burke & Westman, 2013).

References

Clarke, H. & McKay, S. (2008) Exploring disability, family formation and break-up: Reviewing

the evidence. London: DWP.

Jones, F., Burke, R. J. & Westman, M. (2013). Work-Life Balance: A Psychological Perspective.

New York: Psychology Press

Lee, Y. & Waite, L. J. (2005). Husbands’ and wives’ time spent on housework: A comparison of

measures. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67, 328–336