Suggest three ways in which mens role as parents may have changed in recent years?

Answer 1

The alienation of modern man

This is a very intresting question and can really only be answered by also looking at the way in which womens roles have changed in society too. My general conclusion is one that sees the roles and purpose of men as the 'alpha male', provider and protecter within the family unit and the community as a whole, as becoming obscured and belittled. Leaving todays modern man in a state of alienation from his 'purpose' and insecurity over what it really means to be a man. This has come in direct relation to the breakdown of the family and through the rise of women in the work place. Although I would never argue that a woman does not have an equal stand to do whatever she wants, the success of feminism in enpowering women to break the chains of social roles did little or nothing in empowering change in our concepts of the male role. And although the trend of the single mother family may not have been the direct dream of the feminist worship of the mother goddess, the indifference to the importance of the father as an equal god has left many men not paying full respect to the miraculous responcibilty of fatherhood. It is also key to look at the way in which the role of man as breadwinner is becoming obsolete not only through the success of women in the workforce but also because mothers are now encouraged to return to work as early as possible and in fact shunned if she does't. The importance of the partner/father to play an active and vital role is negated as well as the virtues of family values forgotten. This is all topped by the wave of mass unemployment to have swept through skilled industries leaving service industry as the only employer in the market. So where does this breakdown of roles leave the modern man. In a state of Anarchy. If a woman doesnt need to rely on the input of the man apart from for sex (did feminism really mean to mutate into 'girl power' encouraging girls to use there cleavage to gain 'respect'?!), leaving men now free to shag around without thought or constrant. And if their wages are no longer the sole contributor to the protection, rearing, education and future of his offspring, then why can't he just spend what he has on himself. The modern man is encouraged to be individualistic and carefree. Where as the deeper needs of the male contribution to the building of a balanced world are becoming more and more evident as the structure of our wolrd begins to disintergrate. So if we are to build from here, then not only should the roles of women be respected as an equal within the workforce, the roles of men should repected as an equal within the structure of the community. Men need to feel needed as much as women do. If the new roles of women are to work then we need a constructive understsanding in the ways we need the strengths of men, without leaving the doors open for a neo-fasist interpretation for the breakdown of the family and a macho backlash to role reversal. I am a female masculinist and want to see a world based on humanity rather than prejudged roles.

^Hmm copy and paste much ? Heres a simplified version:

Men used to be the people who went out and earned money by working and women stayed at home and looked after the children. Nowadays, men often stay at home and look after the children and do the supposed "women jobs" like cooking and cleaning. Whilst the women go and work but the majority of men still work.

Hope you could read that easier ^_^

TS

Answer 2

1. Men play a greater role in childcare in comparison to their fathers.
2. Fathers are taking on an increasingly active role in the emotional development of their children.
3. Fathers can no longer rely on jobs to provide a sense of identity and fulfilment, instead they look to their children to give them a sense of identity and purpose.