GravityGremlin
Well-known member
Millennial fathers, often seen as the beneficiaries of the 'equal parenting' revolution that supposedly ushered in an era of shared responsibilities between men and women, are actually struggling with the same tired dynamics that have plagued working mothers for years. The latest survey from Working Families reveals that three-quarters of dads want to share the parenting load equally with their partners, yet many still face ridicule, skepticism, and even outright hostility when they try to take time off work or advocate for flexibility.
The issue isn't new, but it's far from resolved either. Women have been fighting for equal rights and fair treatment in the workplace for decades, only to see men step up, albeit begrudgingly. The government has already pledged a review of parental leave, which could be a crucial step forward, but it will only achieve its goals if fathers feel they can take advantage without being penalized.
The problem lies in societal expectations and the lingering suspicion that men are somehow less capable or less deserving than women. This is perpetuated by the lazy assumption that mothers are the default caregivers and that dads are only reluctantly dragged into parenthood. The statistics bear this out: men still spend only two-thirds of the time women do on unpaid childcare, and many young fathers feel torn between their own desires for flexibility and the pressure to be a breadwinner.
The recent survey from YouGov paints a similar picture, revealing that millennial men are often caught between feelings of resentment and inadequacy, with many believing that life was better for men 25 years ago. This is reflected in the worrying trend of women-only clubs and support groups, where mothers commiserate about their own struggles while fathers struggle to find a place at the table.
The irony is that both men and women are fighting the same battles, albeit with different expectations and pressures. It's time for us to recognize this and start working together towards a more inclusive and equitable society. By acknowledging our shared struggles and supporting each other, we can begin to dismantle the toxic stereotypes and biases that have held us back for so long.
Ultimately, it comes down to men taking ownership of their roles as fathers and partners. It's not about being 'the main breadwinner' or assuming that women are somehow better equipped to handle childcare; it's about being present, flexible, and willing to share the load. As one father put it, "I'm tired of feeling like I'm not doing enough. I want to be there for my kids and support my partner, but I feel like I'm stuck in this rut."
This is a battle that requires solidarity, empathy, and a willingness to challenge our own biases and assumptions. By working together, we can create a more equal and compassionate society where everyone – not just women or mothers – has access to the support and resources they need to thrive as caregivers, partners, and individuals.
The issue isn't new, but it's far from resolved either. Women have been fighting for equal rights and fair treatment in the workplace for decades, only to see men step up, albeit begrudgingly. The government has already pledged a review of parental leave, which could be a crucial step forward, but it will only achieve its goals if fathers feel they can take advantage without being penalized.
The problem lies in societal expectations and the lingering suspicion that men are somehow less capable or less deserving than women. This is perpetuated by the lazy assumption that mothers are the default caregivers and that dads are only reluctantly dragged into parenthood. The statistics bear this out: men still spend only two-thirds of the time women do on unpaid childcare, and many young fathers feel torn between their own desires for flexibility and the pressure to be a breadwinner.
The recent survey from YouGov paints a similar picture, revealing that millennial men are often caught between feelings of resentment and inadequacy, with many believing that life was better for men 25 years ago. This is reflected in the worrying trend of women-only clubs and support groups, where mothers commiserate about their own struggles while fathers struggle to find a place at the table.
The irony is that both men and women are fighting the same battles, albeit with different expectations and pressures. It's time for us to recognize this and start working together towards a more inclusive and equitable society. By acknowledging our shared struggles and supporting each other, we can begin to dismantle the toxic stereotypes and biases that have held us back for so long.
Ultimately, it comes down to men taking ownership of their roles as fathers and partners. It's not about being 'the main breadwinner' or assuming that women are somehow better equipped to handle childcare; it's about being present, flexible, and willing to share the load. As one father put it, "I'm tired of feeling like I'm not doing enough. I want to be there for my kids and support my partner, but I feel like I'm stuck in this rut."
This is a battle that requires solidarity, empathy, and a willingness to challenge our own biases and assumptions. By working together, we can create a more equal and compassionate society where everyone – not just women or mothers – has access to the support and resources they need to thrive as caregivers, partners, and individuals.
I'm so over the fact that dads are still facing ridicule for trying to take care of their kids. Like, what's wrong with wanting to be involved in your own child's life? 
The whole "dads should just be breadwinners" thing is so outdated and sexist. Newsflash: men can do both! 
And another thing that gets me - why are women-only clubs for moms still a thing? Can't we all just get along and support each other regardless of gender? 
We need to break down these toxic stereotypes and biases, especially when it comes to fatherhood. It's time for men to step up and take ownership of their roles as partners and dads. Let's create a more inclusive society where everyone feels like they can be present and involved in their kids' lives without fear of judgment or ridicule. 
. Like three-quarters of them wanna share the parenting load equally but still face all this crap when they try to take time off work or ask for flexibility 
. It's not like we're making any progress here, you know? The gov has already said they're gonna review parental leave which is a good start I guess 
but it's only gonna happen if dads feel safe enough to take advantage without getting penalized.
. We still think moms are the default caregivers and dads are just dragged into parenthood like it's some kind of chore 
. The stats show this too - guys still spend way less time on unpaid childcare than moms and many young fathers feel torn between their own desires for flexibility and the pressure to be a breadwinner.
. They're like "life was better 25 years ago" 
. It's not about being the main breadwinner or assuming moms are better equipped for childcare, it's about being present, flexible and willing to share the load 
. This is a battle that requires solidarity, empathy and challenging our own biases and assumptions 
. By working together we can create a more equal and compassionate society where everyone has access to the support and resources they need to thrive as caregivers, partners and individuals 
.
It's not a zero-sum game where one has to win or lose. We need to break free from these outdated stereotypes and support dads who want to take on more caregiving responsibilities. 
It's all about creating a more inclusive society where everyone feels comfortable sharing the load, regardless of gender. 
It sounds great on paper, but in reality, it's still super tough for guys like me who want to share the responsibilities without getting ridiculed or penalized at work 
. I want to be there for my kids, support my partner, but I feel like I'm stuck in this rut... 
... They're just trying to do their part, but it's like no one gives them a break. I mean, come on, guys! You want equal parenting time? That's awesome! But instead of supporting each other, we've got women-only clubs and all that. It's not fair to the dads who are already struggling. We need to recognize that men can be caregivers too 
. We need to break down these stereotypes and biases, for real! 
, but dads are still getting roasted for taking time off or trying to be involved in childcare. It's like, hello, we're not asking for much, just a bit of understanding and flexibility 
My partner is always on me about being more present and involved in our kid's life, but when I try to have that conversation with her, she just gives me the side-eye 
. And I'm sure my partner feels the same way 
.
. Who's with me? 
. It's like, we've made progress in getting dads to be more involved, but it feels like we're still stuck in this expectation that men are just "breadwinners" and women are the ones who care for the kids 
men r gettin shafted again 
, where moms are the default caregivers and dads are just along for the ride 
. newsflash: dads wanna be there too! 
, they just need some support and flexibility to do it right 
and recognize that we're all in this together 
, not more women-only clubs and support groups 
, and its gonna take some serious solidarity and empathy 
from everyone! 
. And another thing, if women are starting clubs and support groups to deal with their own struggles, why can't men have similar spaces where they can vent about being stuck in this "rut"? It's time for some balance, not more complaining about how hard it is to be a dad 
. Like, what if they can't do that? What if they need help too?
. And it's not just them, it's the whole society thing - we still expect men to be all self-sufficient and stoic, but that's not real life 
. We need to start seeing dads as caregivers too, you know? Not just 'the breadwinner' or whatever 
.
.
. Trust me, it's all about the patriarchy, but I guess that's a topic for another convo 
.
the thing is, ppl are always like "oh men should be able to just step up and be better dads" but its not that easy... 
we need to find ways to make it more inclusive and flexible for everyone, not just women or moms... 
. I mean, can't we just break free from these toxic stereotypes and support each other instead? It's not like women are perfect, either - they have their own struggles and biases too 
. And yeah, the government review of parental leave is a great start, but we need to see real action on this 
. It's not just about giving men more time off or flexibility - it's about recognizing that caregiving is a shared responsibility and that both partners should be able to contribute in their own ways 
. Like, can't we have a space where dads can commiserate and find support without feeling like they're not welcome? It's time for us to break down these barriers and start building a more inclusive community 
And what's with all these women-only clubs tho? Can't we just have a big group chat or something like, for real? 
why can't we just share the load? 
. Women are always fighting for equal rights, but men are supposed to be all like "oh yeah, I got this" 
... And it's so frustrating when ppl think life was better 25 years ago for guys