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Family and Parenting
Joe Schatz
Parenting ExaminerJoe Schatz is the man behind Joeprah.com and the proud stay-home father of three daughters. His take on parenting has drawn praise from national media, and his daughters think he's alright, too.
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Can Single Dads be Both Mom & Dad?
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Joe Schatz - Parenting Examiner
This morning, I came across an interesting article from across the pond that highlights the plight of single dads. As I began to read the article, I wasn’t sure where it was headed:“According to a close single mother friend of mine, ‘All men are emotionally retarded to some degree and therefore much less well equipped than women to bring up children alone.’ When an article starts this way it grabs my attention. I detest stereotypes and how they limit people and, being a stay at home dad, I see how stereotypes can have a negative impact. I was relieved to read that the article wasn’t another article about a brainless dad, but rather an interesting look into the lifestyle of a single dad in the UK. Matthew Collins, single dad and writer for Times Online, reveals much about the British perception of dads and their struggles in this candid and informative piece. “Most mums of my acquaintance have a strict evening routine - supper, homework, bath, bed. My routine goes haywire frequently. Matthew makes the point that single dads don’t struggle being good dads, but rather they fall short in the mum department. He attributes his emotional sensitivity or lack thereof to his own upbringing. Citing how his father parented, Matthew illustrates how men are less nurturing than women. He continues to say, “…although it is not most men's strong point, emotional intelligence can be learnt and developed. There is, therefore, hope for us Neanderthals. Collins says that he attributes a lot of his success in becoming a well-rounded dad to his close single-mum friends. Matthew concludes by making a great argument that single-parents everywhere need a little help from ‘the other side’ so to speak. So, do you think single-dads can handle a household like single-moms? Are moms better equipped to handle the rigors of childcare alone? |
