I’m claiming it. My generation, or specifically, millennial dads are perhaps some of the best dads there is.
This is not to undermine the kinda older baby boomer generation dads – because they obviously raised some of these millennial dads into the way they are right now. But I’m not sure if you’ve noticed it, millennial dads are into this parenting gig more than they were. Baby boomer dads – those born between 1946 to 1964, worked long hours and generally left the child care to either the moms or the grandparents. Household chores are also mostly out of the question. If you ask my generation about their dads, most would say that their dads are the rule-makers and the disciplinarians. And if you talk to these baby boomer dads, they mostly believed that their main role in the household is to be a good provider.
I should state that these are in some ways a generalization about baby boomer dads because I’m sure there are older dads out there who are also very much involved parents. But I stated all these “general facts” to give us a perspective on how today’s dads compare to their dads. And I think today’s dads are changing the way society thinks about fatherhood and dads in general. Here are a few reasons why:
Today’s dads are hands-on parents.
When my daughter started school, I was very much surprised to see that dads are also very much visible in school dropoffs. Dads are dropping off their kids, picking them up, talking to the teachers, at the front and center of every school event and play – dads are very much present just like the moms. And not just in schools, dads are everywhere too in play areas, parks, playgrounds, and even kiddie events. Plus, it’s also quite common to see Facebook videos of dads – most of which are posted by adoring wives and moms, getting their hands dirty with parenting tasks – changing diapers, giving babies a bath, and basically cooing over their kids. So it means that today’s dads are present in their kids’ life not just as an authority figure or someone you’ll get your allowance from, they’re actually parenting.
Today’s dads are supportive.
Since today’s dads are very much involved on fatherhood, it’s also becoming a norm for them to arm themselves with the right information to be a good father. And they do it just like how any millennial would do it – via the Internet. Today’s dads read parenting blogs, they might even watch YouTube videos – all to stay abreast of current parenting trends. They’re knowledgeable about breastfeeding, newborn care, attachment parenting, babywearing, cloth diapering, positive parenting, and all the parenting how-tos there is. Today’s dads do not want to take the backseat when it comes to parenting, they want to be there with their partners every step of the way.
Today’s dads are not into gender stereotypes.
Gender stereotypes blurred the minute millennial dads took on a bigger role in parenting. For these dads, childcare and even household chores are not solely a “woman’s job”, instead these are “adult responsibilities” that must be equally shared between both partners. And most importantly…
Today’s dads appreciate their partners.
Maybe we can attribute it to the number of parenting blogs and vlogs they’ve read and watched, but today’s dads know how hard us moms work and how much we sacrifice for our kids and our family. And as such, they’re very much appreciative of it and show it – by letting moms take “day offs” from motherhood by taking care of the kids for the day. Today’s dads know the value of teamwork and are very much sensitive to their partner’s needs than ever.
So, on behalf of all the millennial moms, good job millennial dads! You definitely deserve huge hugs and kisses from your partners and kids. 😉
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