I’m in no way a perfect dad. Let’s just get that out of the way. I’ve got
faults and
failures just like everybody else. But one thing I can honestly say is that I’m an active participant in parenting, an equal in this partnership.
Being a dad is funny because as a society I feel like we simultaneously say that we
expect more from fathers and that they have to step up. But the flip side of that coin is we continue to treat fathers like they’re
second-class parents. Less-than. Bumbling idiots without a clue.
These two things are inextricably linked. The more we mock fathers and portray them as clueless dolts, the less they’re going to want to participate and make more of themselves. But as fathers check out and put more and more on mothers’ plates, the more we demonize and criticize them. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Let’s jump into some bullshit parenting tropes, shall we?