Father’s Day is fast approaching. I’ve been thinking about the fathers of today – what fatherhood was like in the past and how dads have changed over the years. While thinking, my brain landed on the Showtime show Masters of Sex. It’s the story of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, and, of course, the study of sex.
Renowned gynecologist, William Masters, brilliantly portrayed by Michael Sheen, was so far removed from his child he couldn’t even change his diaper, pick up his crying child, or be there for his son in any way that provided emotional support, love or affection.
Now, this may be a dramatization (and a gross generalization), but there’s a part of me that thinks there’s some truth in this show as to how dads parented back in the late 1950s. Not all dads, but probably a large percentage of fathers. Parenting was for the wife and/or nanny (if you lived in an affluent home).
I’m so grateful I live in 2015, where dads are more involved in their children’s lives. Obviously, I can’t speak for everyone, but I’ve noticed more emotional participation and physical involvement; more dads engaged in their children’s lives from drop offs and pick-ups at school to being there emotionally when their child has a bad day.
When he’s at his busiest time of year working 60+ hours a week, my husband, Tom, still makes it a priority to spend solid, quality time with our son, The Littlest E. He finds the time to be present, to listen, to engage, to read to him, to go to sporting events where our son is involved, and I know he’d like to do more if he could. He truly goes the extra mile, and our son benefits from it. On this Father’s Day, I’m sending a shout out to Tom for being an amazing dad to our son! Thank you, Honey, and I love you.
Because dads are more engaged, there are more commercials featuring dads with kids – like the series of Dove commercials celebrating dads. Nissan and Toyota have also aired more dad-centric commercials. While watching the Super Bowl this past year, a few of these commercials got me a bit teary eyed. Commercials are featuring more dads because dads are more involved! Nearly 2,000,000 dads are at-home. There are dad support groups, dad summits, hundreds of dad blogs, and dad communities both online and in the general population. Times have certainly changed since the 1950s.
So, this Father’s Day let’s send shout outs to all dads!
To the dads who married their sweeties and work at their jobs.
To the at-home dads who are the primary caregivers.
To the military dads who serve our country at home and abroad, away from their kids.
To the dads with military wives.
To the dads who are widowed.
To the single dads.
To the dads who stood by their wives through infertility and are now dads.
To the dad who became a dad through adoption.
To the gay dads who became dads through adoption or surrogacy.
To the stepdads who married into preexisting families.
To the Grandpas, Grampses, Bubbas, Papas, Pops…….
To the dads who have to travel a lot for work.
To all the dads on this list and the ones I may have missed…
YOU ARE LOVED AND APPRECIATED!! HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
Ó 2015 Melanie Elliott