Covid lockdown, layoffs pave the way for an era of stay-at-home dads

The concept of fatherhood is changing, rather evolving with the concept of stay-at-home dad gaining currency in the era of post-pandemic layoffs. Data from the United Kingdom’s Office for National Statistics indicate that the Covid pandemic may have triggered a substantial rise in the number of stay-at-home dads across the UK. One in nine stay-at-home parents were fathers in 2022, compared with just one in 14 in 2019.

Stay-at-home dads: What does the data say?

According to the Pew Research Center, an estimated 2.1 million fathers were stay-at-home dads in 2021, up 8 per cent since 1989. The increase is attributed, in large part, to women out-earning their male partners. The data does not take into account the layoff spree that began in late 2022 that resulted in job cuts for thousands of men across the world.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

ALSO READ |Study discovers link between poor co-parenting, depression in fathers

As of November 2022, over seven million men between the ages of 25 and 54, who were previously working, were not working or were looking for work.

Stay-at-home dads: What has changed?

The data from Pew Research Center suggests that over last 5 decades, fathers have become more active parents.

In 2016, fathers in the United States self-reported spending about eight hours a week on childcare. This amount of time was roughly three times what a dad spent with thechildren in 1965, the research said.

Dads reported engaging in around 10 hours a week on household chores, an uptick of four hours compared to 1965. Similarly, data reveals that in 2016, mothers spent an average of 14 hours a week on childcare and around 18 hours per week on housework.

Stay-at-home dads: The social effects

A BBC survey on stay-at-home dads in the United Kingdom showed that 65 per cent of partnered fathers reported improved relationships with their children while 48 per cent said they felt more competent as a parent after the Covid lockdown.

However, the survey also found multiple difficulties for stay-at-home dads. These included a tendency for mothers to lead parental decision-making, and nurseries, schools and other institutions preferring to communicate with mothers. The report added that fathers also found it difficult to integrate with "mother-centered" communities of parents, and their gender continued to be a barrier at times, with the mother sometimes regarded as the "default" caregiver.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.