Question

Compare and contrast the traditional roles of mothers and fathers in caring for their children in Western culture. What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of these roles? Would you change the parenting roles to improve the child's chances for healthy development? If so, how?

Answer 1

• I think the traditional roles of mother and father are similar in almost every culture.A mother has a more emotional connect with her child,they are warm and sensitive towards their child.Whereas fathers assume a more instrumental role in a child's life,making them capable to develop a place for themselves in the world. A western father also assumes the role of a playmate to his children who, together with the father, have to be reined in by the mother.
• Fathers mostly make all the important decisions on behalf of children, whereas mothers mainly serve to carry out these decisions and take up the daily routines of child care.
• Parenting today is changing, along with the traditional roles of a father being the breadwinner of the family and mothers being the nurturers.Today,both parents are working and both of them are assuming the role of breadwinners and nurturers equally.Fathers today are equally involved in taking care of their child by being staying at home husband,when a mother is working.This definitely helps in the healthy development and socialization of the child,since they learn by observing their parents.
• So,when they see no gender stereotypes in what their mother and father does,this definitely leads to respect and equal treatment for both genders.Children understand,that a father is not only responsible to earn money and a mother is not only responsible for taking care of the house,the roles can be reversed and both equally and together can contribute to the well being of the child and home.
• Even though fathers have taken a step into the household and being a more present father research shows that mothers interact more than fathers and take most of the responsibility for organizing everything around the child.
• Mothers are mostly considered to be a primary caregiver for the child than a father,because this is the way even our parents have been brought up,cultural upbringing does put expectations,which is why fathers are less competent than mothers to multitask and take care of the child and home.But roles are changing and fathers are becoming involved with their children,if not more than a mother.