'Working Fathers': A New Phrase Whose Time Has Come?

Summary: Many of today’s fathers in their 20s, 30s, and 40s are doing about half (and sometimes more) of what mothers once did: driving children; assembling their breakfasts, lunches, and dinners; handling their late-night wake-ups; helping out with homework, and more. They are balancing school events with work and business travel, and in some cases finding themselves emotionally torn when they can’t be in two places at once. In short, men are feeling the same tensions and emotions as fathers as women have been for quite some time. But not every boss is aware of this increasingly common phenomenon. According to Care@Work, 87% of working fathers want to be more involved with the family’s daily routine, and work/life balance is twice as important to today’s fathers as it was to their own fathers, says the study. Perhaps, soon, this “working fathers” phrase or an appropriate replacement, will and should come into vogue.