A lot us grew up watching our mothers running the house while our dads followed a completely different set of standards. The gender roles in parenting were defined – mothers are completely responsibility of bringing up the kids and all domestic matters, fathers are in charge of the finances and major decisions.
But, thankfully, the world is beginning to understand how these prescribed gender roles in parenting are harmful to both parents and their kids.
Gender Equality In Modern Parenting
Modern parenting strives to have a balance between genders. They want their children to grow up in an environment where both genders are equal in all aspects. Here’s how it gets done.
1. They Don’t Look For A Supermom
A lot of parenting styles around the world depend on the mother being a supermom. They are expected to look after everything about the kids, the house, and maybe excel in their career. Fathers, on the other hand, are expected to just “pitch” in. This is harmful to both parents and kids in the long run. Modern parenting is about raising kids together, where men and women are equally in charge, and not overwhelming for one particular person.
2. They Earn The Dough Equally
A traditional setting requires one person to earn the dough and the other to stay at home. Modern parenting involves both parents earning for the family. Both careers are equally valued and respected. No one has a more “important” career and neither of them should feel guilty of juggling both a home and ac career. Also, they don’t have to make a lot of career adjustments to raise their kids.
3. They Divide And Share Household Chores
A lot of us grew up with our mothers doing most (or all) of the cooking, cleaning, and going after errands. But life should be made fair to both parents. It’s not one person’s responsibility to be completely in charge of the house. A modern setting revolves around both parents sharing and dividing chores. When both parents work around the house equally, kids don’t see a divide in genders.
4. They Are Responsible Together For Raising Kids
In a traditional setting, mothers are completely in charge of bringing up the children. The role of a father is more of an “authority” figure, all major decisions are made by him. But that’s not the case anymore. Equal bringing up of children requires both parents to make decisions and spend quality time with their children.
5. They Don’t Keep A Score On Everything
When sharing chores, it may be tempting to keep a track on everything you do around the house, to use as a scorecard against your partner. When you are parents, you realize keeping score is pointless (not to mention, frustrating for the other person) because things just need to be done – chores need to be done, bills need to be sorted, and your kids need you round the clock.
6. They Equally Need Time To Relax
Everybody needs time off for themselves – something most of our mothers barely did. One of the best parts of equal parenting, is one person could take a well-deserved time off, while the other person becomes in charge because they know how to manage the house and kids. Also, no parent should feel guilty when they spend a day just doing their own thing. Mothers and fathers need to equally relax and have fun.
When kids are raised in an environment where men and women are treated and respected equally, they replicate the same in the future. And we know the world needs a lot more people like that. Here’s to bringing gender equality!
