In July, a panel at the Aspen Ideas Festival examined the evolving role of fathers in modern family life. The discussion involved several of the leading thinkers on the politics of parenting in America.
Our culture approaches fatherhood differently today. The panel pointed out that many fathers, especially those with a college education, are actively seeking ways to spend more time at home with their kids. However, this trend still conflicts with widespread hesitation to take paternity leave.
A critical determiner of who can be a "good dad" is income. Aspen panelist and New York Times columnist Mark Oppenheimer of Yale University noted that affluent families can better afford to have a more engaged father. Poor families, on the other hand, simply don't have the economic resources to allow a father to spend significant time with his kids.
The Aspen panel discussion came only a few days after the first White House Summit on Working Families. At that event, a broad range of similar issues was discussed, including parental leave, income, and health care availability. The fact that issues like these have garnered so much attention at the national level is a sign that the nation is seriously reexamining what effective fatherhood means in America.
Our culture approaches fatherhood differently today. The panel pointed out that many fathers, especially those with a college education, are actively seeking ways to spend more time at home with their kids. However, this trend still conflicts with widespread hesitation to take paternity leave.
A critical determiner of who can be a "good dad" is income. Aspen panelist and New York Times columnist Mark Oppenheimer of Yale University noted that affluent families can better afford to have a more engaged father. Poor families, on the other hand, simply don't have the economic resources to allow a father to spend significant time with his kids.
The Aspen panel discussion came only a few days after the first White House Summit on Working Families. At that event, a broad range of similar issues was discussed, including parental leave, income, and health care availability. The fact that issues like these have garnered so much attention at the national level is a sign that the nation is seriously reexamining what effective fatherhood means in America.