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Proper Sleeping Positions for Babies

That Most Blessed Countdown…

10 Ways To Be A Better Dad

Creating A Father-Friendly Neighborhood

Creating A Father-Friendly Workplace

The Most Important Role

By Jerry Madson

Dad and History

For some, it happens long before the fact, in the planning stages. For others, it occurs about the same time that the test reads positive. And for many, it hits with the ferocity of tornadoes alighting inside your home at the moment of birth. The sudden realization that your status in life has just shifted up a gear into parenthood can be as jolting as the question “What now?”

The 20th century traditions of nurturing mother and bread winning father have begun to meld seamlessly into shared roles. In past generations, it was considered the sole duty of the father to concentrate his energies and time on earning a living for the family. The mother was expected to raise the children and maintain the household.

Arnold Pinkins, a 34-year-old Accountant, is the father of 2 young boys. His wife, Patricia, works as a Physician’s Assistant at a nearby hospital.

“When my 6-year-old was born, we were really pressed for time in every respect. Because we decided that Trish should stay out of work a little longer than our coverage allowed, I was spending more time at work and away from my family.” We sat in Pinkins’ smartly furnished office in a room in his home. He gently rocked his 3-month-old son, Jason, throughout the interview. Patricia would be working at the hospital another three hours.

“When Jason was born, we were better prepared. I had already transferred my work to the house and was spending most of my days handling cases from here. This time we made the choice to split the duties of child rearing and bill paying.”

The Pinkins’ decision is becoming more common as numerous studies, experts, doctors, parents and children all attest to the positive effect of developing and nurturing the father/child relationship. In direct contrast to the stoic, hands-off approach taken by their fathers, many men today are making opportunities to spend time with their children. Paternity leave is no longer just a concept. But what happens next can be a new Dad’s nightmare.