The New Dad: Exploring Fatherhood within a Career Context

Today’s new dads do not equate being a good father with the role of breadwinner, but with being present and accessible to their families, according to a June 2010 study.

Researchers say the rise of women in the work force have shifted men’s attitudes towards parenting and workplace commitment. The new dads who participated in the study were accustomed to fathers who worked full time and mothers who stayed home. In comparison, the new dads said they were working hard to better share both the child care and home care duties with their spouses. They reported that their self-image at work increased in a positive way after having children. They also said that they felt their employers offered work-life flexibility. However, the new fathers did not arrange formal flexible work arrangements although their spouses often did.

The qualitative study was published by Boston College’s Center for Work and Family. Researchers interviewed 33 middle-income, married, college educated and first-time fathers in order to explore how men embrace parenting.
 

Read the report.