The Shifting Role of Fathers: How Being a Dad Has Changed for Many Post-Pandemic Fatherhood Father's Day

Parental roles have fluctuated throughout modern history. Going back to World War II, mothers were forced to shift from housewife to breadwinner as fathers went off to war. In the decades following the war, many households returned to traditional roles, though that changed again later in the century with more women entering the workforce. Fathers had a more active role in the raising of their children as responsibilities were split between the parents.

COVID has shifted that paradigm once again. Many fathers transitioned to working from home, or unfortunately, not working at all. Both, however, presented fathers with greater opportunities to not only spend more time with their children, further strengthening their natural bonds, but also have a more proactive role in their raising.

With the end of the pandemic in sight and the world returning to normalcy, fathers are now finding themselves returning to the office with schedules that do not provide the same level of quality time with their children. Fathers now face concerns over how much time they can dedicate to their children and what effect that will have.

Positive male role models are vital to a child's development, now more than ever, and studies show having a close relationship with your father is directly associated with an adolescents' psychological well-being. The nuances of fatherhood are fascinating. With fathers spending more time at home this past year, and just recently getting back to office life, what does that mean for our children, and who are we as fathers post-pandemic?

I am the father of an high school-aged son and like many men in America, I struggle with raising, teaching and guiding my child given the moral turbulence of the modern world. With the news at our fingertips, it's getting harder to shelter our children from seeing the negativity and bad things that they once thought their role models could never be capable of. This makes it more difficult to properly parent and instill trust with your child when they see police officers, authority figures, politicians and/or actors in the wrong spotlight.

Becoming a man means doing the right thing even though it may be hard or difficult. Boys do what is easiest. A man does what is right, whether easy or not. This timeless sentiment is especially poignant for fathers and sons alike this Father’s Day.

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