THE EVOLUTION OF BEING A DAD
What it means to be a father has changed a lot over the years. A generation or two ago, the majority of fathers were seen as breadwinners, not caregivers: leading the day-to-day care of their children, let alone taking paternity leave, were not seen as masculine traits. Now these male gender roles are changing, and we understand that there are a great many benefits of paternity leave – for the parental bond between dad and baby, and for the whole family, too.
Things are changing, but there’s still a long way to go. Restrictive masculine stereotypes and cultural pressures are still holding guys back, which can lead to low uptake in paternity leave. While many men becoming a dad for the first time today are seizing the opportunity to care for their newborn, others aren’t so lucky. But being there for those you care about has a huge impact on a man’s life. That’s why Dove Men+Care is supporting positive changes in paternity leave policies – as part of comprehensive paid family leave policies for all parents and caregivers – and encouraging dads to take the leave that’s offered to them.