I read a couple of articles in the NYTimes this afternoon. They both spoke of the role of fathers. This one spoke of how, even within the same household, brothers fare worse than sisters when disadvantaged.  Researchers have been trying to define what is causing the gender gap, and how we can help boys. One of the answers, it turns out, is fathers. No surprises there, but not nearly enough talk.
“Boys particularly seem to benefit more from being in a married household or committed household — with the time, attention and income that brings,” Mr. Autor said.
I then went on to read this article. I’ll share a few quotes:
“The fatherhood bonus is based on the notion that fathers are extra-committed to work because they have a family to support. If they give any indication that they might prioritize family, they tend to be treated like mothers, and penalized. It’s known as the flexibility stigma.”
Claire Cain Miller gave props to Joe Biden and Paul Ryan for publicly stating that they were cutting back, to make time for family. And suggested that more vocal demands by men and women alike to prioritize family would benefit all.
It reminded me of a conversation Tom and I had a few months ago. We were talking about preparing children for careers and the difficultly of encouraging them towards professional success while also teaching them to value and find balance with family life. Tom made the point that we should teach our boys no differently than we will teach any future daughters. I want my boys to grow up choosing a career that will allow them to be stellar Dads, and to enter the work force with the understanding that they, like their wives, will have to give and take in order to fulfill their more important calling as parent.