Darby Saxbe, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
One of the first longitudinal studies of male brain changes across the transition to first-time parenthood finds that becoming a dad affects the brain – without the direct experience of pregnancy.
The latest State of the World’s Fathers report found a shift in attitudes. In 15 countries, between 70% and 90% of men agreed with the statement, “I feel as responsible for care work as my partner.”
Being a parent can be tricky, and many turn to parenting guides for help in figuring out what to do. Two human development scholars have tips for picking a book that will be useful for you.
A contrast to the bumbling and immature fathers commonly found on sitcoms, Bob Saget’s character on ‘Full House’ reflected a shift in expectations of fatherhood that began in the late 1970s.
If governments are looking for a post-pandemic “baby boom” to help populations grow, then they should increase the amount and duration of paid parental leave for both mums and partners.
Canadian fathers increased their share of work at home — in housework and in child care — in the early days of the pandemic as work and routines put pressures on the family.
While the man the world knows as ‘Papa’ balanced the demands of parenting with his work, his letters and fiction offer a window into the depth of his paternal feeling.
One anthropologist found 1,072 similar words for ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ in the world’s languages. It turns out a mix of biology, culture and encouragement from parents explains this phenomenon.
When dads engage in active play with their kids they actually help them cope better with some of the challenges they’ll face in life. And no reason why mums can’t join in the fun as well.