Media Myths About Dads

Although fathers have traditionally been the heads of their households, they have often been portrayed as being somewhat detached from the family unit.  They were expected to earn the majority of the family’s income, and after work to come home, eat dinner, and relax.  The weekends of this ideal dad consisted of participating in hobbies such as hunting and fishing, fixing things around the house, and playing poker with friends.

In the event of divorce, this detachment would theoretically become more pronounced.  The dad would send child support checks, take the kids out for the weekend every now and then, and get on with his life.  Or worse, he would disappear from the picture altogether, leaving Mom responsible for supporting herself and the kids and tending to domestic duties.

The ideas toward women, although still not exactly as they should be, have come a long way over the years.  But this portrayal of dads has not really changed much.  Programs designed for parents to take part in with their children usually cater to mothers, and fathers are not expressly or implicitly invited along.  News stories on parenting focus on mothers more often than not, and the same news programs are brimming with reports about deadbeat dads.

The Truth About Dads

The idea of dads being less involved with their families and more involved with work was not completely inaccurate in the past.  The pressure on men to refrain from showing their emotions often resulted in dads having problems expressing their love for their children.  Society expected them to be good role models, but not so much to get closely involved with their children’s lives.  After all, that’s what the mother was there for.

But there have always been some dads who broke with tradition and immersed themselves in their kids’ lives.  They willingly took care of the kids while Mom ran errands, and took them out for games of catch and trips to the park.  These types of dads were not necessarily in the minority, but they were often overlooked in favor of fathers who were perceived as more masculine.

Today, more dads are taking the opportunity to develop close relationships with their children.  There are even a growing number of stay at home dads, who take on roles traditionally reserved for mothers while their wives work to support the family.  Single dads with custody of the children are also becoming more common.  This dispels the myth that men do not take an interest in parenting.

Dads have often been the victims of unfair stereotypes.  The media has encouraged the perception that while they are superior at providing financial support, they just aren’t interested in, or capable of, being good parents.  It is important for fathers to prove these misconceptions wrong, and for the rest of society to give credit where credit is due.