Comments on: Mom & Dad Sharing Child-Rearing . . . An Anomaly? http://www.wickedlocalparents.com/picketfencepost/2008/06/16/mom-dad-sharing-child-rearing-an-anomaly/ Peek behind the picket fences . . . where over-caffeinating is a competitive sport and parenting is distinctly imperfect. Mon, 1 Dec 2008 22:03:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Henry http://www.wickedlocalparents.com/picketfencepost/2008/06/16/mom-dad-sharing-child-rearing-an-anomaly/#comment-161 Henry Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:05:54 +0000 http://www.wickedlocalparents.com/picketfencepost/?p=74#comment-161 Articles like this unfairly categorize work. Men and women very often fall into stereotypical household and childcare jobs and roles. Everytime i hear that men do less household or childcare jobs it burns me up. Is anyone looking at how often the women take out the trash, mow the lawn or complete home or auto repair? In the households where men do take up more of the childcare work, who does the other so-called "men's chores"? If men and women are different and each has tendencies (biological, sociological or otherwise) then women may do more child care and "household work". In the end, I doubt it results in men getting the opportunity to lounge around more. Articles like this unfairly categorize work. Men and women very often fall into stereotypical household and childcare jobs and roles. Everytime i hear that men do less household or childcare jobs it burns me up. Is anyone looking at how often the women take out the trash, mow the lawn or complete home or auto repair? In the households where men do take up more of the childcare work, who does the other so-called “men’s chores”? If men and women are different and each has tendencies (biological, sociological or otherwise) then women may do more child care and “household work”. In the end, I doubt it results in men getting the opportunity to lounge around more.

]]> By: John Esberg http://www.wickedlocalparents.com/picketfencepost/2008/06/16/mom-dad-sharing-child-rearing-an-anomaly/#comment-158 John Esberg Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:02:39 +0000 http://www.wickedlocalparents.com/picketfencepost/?p=74#comment-158 In our household, my wife carries more of the child rearing duties. We started equally when I had 30 days off from work when our son was born. Then I went back to work and lost part of my connect with him: it hurt. This eventually translated to him only wanting Mommy at night while I slept for my day shift job. So, I picked up more of the household duties. I cook almost all dinners. I do most of the cleaning. I handle the bills. I make sure the repairs are done as they come up. She handles the baby more and takes care of the babies room. It's surprising how much we share without someone telling us that fathers are incompetent. One thing I need to say, I'm not hardwired like my wife. I don't feel the need to handle kids as much. God bless her endurance! I'm sure she loves my nightly cooking too, and the weekend cooking on top of that that I do for us. In our household, my wife carries more of the child rearing duties. We started equally when I had 30 days off from work when our son was born. Then I went back to work and lost part of my connect with him: it hurt. This eventually translated to him only wanting Mommy at night while I slept for my day shift job. So, I picked up more of the household duties. I cook almost all dinners. I do most of the cleaning. I handle the bills. I make sure the repairs are done as they come up. She handles the baby more and takes care of the babies room. It’s surprising how much we share without someone telling us that fathers are incompetent.

One thing I need to say, I’m not hardwired like my wife. I don’t feel the need to handle kids as much. God bless her endurance! I’m sure she loves my nightly cooking too, and the weekend cooking on top of that that I do for us.

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