In Defense of Dad

I feel like dads get the short end of the stick. 

Moms get dubbed with a "maternal instinct" and "mother knows best." But what does dad get?

Dads get a Daddy Boot Camp run by moms.

Could there be a "paternal instinct"? Dads are more commonly than not the bread winners of the family (despite all of Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In efforts), so they are usually forced to focus more on work than family.

While I'm all about gender equality in the workforce, I do understand the need for having a dedicated parent focused on the child... as opposed to focused on work. And someone needs to be focused on work to financially support the family. 

Due to traditional family roles, the responsibly of focusing on baby is more likely to fall on the mother. But in today's society, dads are increasingly taking on the role of full-time parent.

So how come they're not getting the same praise and respect as stay-at-home moms in general consciousness?

DH has changed just as many diapers, been peed on and thrown up on just as many times, and worried just as much as I have. I saw his paternal instinct shine when I was stuck in the hospital bed after my c-section and the responsibility of caring for J was in his hands. When we switched to bottle feeding, DH jumped to the chance to finally get to feed J.

Sometimes "dad" really does know best. I guess it'll take just as much time for dad to get the same respect as moms in the household as it takes for women to get the same respect as men in the workforce, but it's nice to see the evolution of gender roles, even if it is baby steps.

Go Dad!