NEW ALBANY — According to a recent sociological study, fathers are spending a larger amount of time with their children than in the past, and many are rejecting traditional ideas of what it means to be a dad.
Ball State University sociology professor Richard Petts worked with Kevin Shafer and Lee Essig of Brigham Young University to study changing masculine norms related to fatherhood.
Using a national sample of more than 2,000 fathers with children ages 2 to 18, they found that more men want to take on nurturing, engaged roles as parents.
“We often judge men based on their job title, how much they work and how much money they make as a society," Pett said. "Yet many men believe that being an active father is more important than being a breadwinner. So, take time to be a dad. You will be happier because fathers who are more involved have higher well-being, and your kids will be happier."
Men who believe in newer ideals of fatherhood are more actively involved in their children's lives, while men who believe in traditional masculine norms are less involved and more likely to use harsh punishment, according to the study.
While many men want to be more actively engaged in their kids' lives, Pett said some societal factors make it difficult for fathers to take on these roles. For example, workplaces might have policies that make it more difficult for fathers to take time off work to care for their kids. This means that women often end up being the primary caregivers in the family, he said.
Shaun Dixon, a father of three and a sociology professor at Jefferson Community and Technical College, said he is happy to see transformations in attitudes towards gender roles and parenting.
"We're finding that more and more men don't want to work 9 to 5 and want to be with their children," he said. "They want to be able to take on what would traditionally be seen as a female role."
He said he takes an active role in his kids' lives. He works 10 months of the year as a professor, which allows him to spend plenty of time with his children, he said. He also stays involved in his kids' school. Friday he took his kids at the Floyd County Library.
Dixon said he learned more traditional ideas of fatherhood when he was younger, but his career as a sociologist and experience as a parent gave him a different view of parenting.
"I was taught that the male provides for the family and that you need to work and get a good job so you can support your future wife and raise your family," he said. "A lot of what would be considered more feminine roles I had to learn going into parenting. I can't say I had an adequate knowledge of what clothes matched or what it actually takes to get a kid out of the house or anything like that."
David Bradley, a father of four, said it is important for him to provide emotional support for his children. He wants his parenting to extend far beyond being a breadwinner or an authority figure.
"It's an awesome role to have," he said. "It's awesome to be there for my children."
Bradley and his wife, who are both teachers at New Albany High School, share responsibility in the caregiving and support of their children, he said. He said his involvement has made him a more well-rounded parent.
"If my children have a problem, I'm not just sending them off to my wife," he said.