More dads want to be Mr. Mom
By Kate Lorenz
CareerBuilder.com
Today's working dads aren't just satisfied with being Ward Cleaver -- they also want to be Mr. Mom. Although the traditional idea of "dad as breadwinner" remains common, working fathers are becoming more focused on their family lives.
CareerBuilder.com's "Working Dads 2005" survey found that the job of stay-at-home dad is increasingly attractive to today's working fathers. The number of dads who say they are willing to give up the breadwinner role if their spouse or partner earned enough to support their families rose from 43 percent in 2004 to 49 percent in 2005.
Additionally, 37 percent of all working dads say they would consider taking a new job with less pay if it offered a better work/life balance. One in five would accept a pay cut of more than 5 percent and one in 10 would accept a pay cut of more than 10 percent.
Traditional household roles have evolved, and men are becoming more comfortable with the idea of becoming Mr. Mom to be more active in their children's lives. More than one-third of working dads report they spend less than two hours with their children after work, and one-half say work has made them miss at least one significant event in their children's lives in the last year.
Long days at the office and work commitments outside the regular 40-hour week have left one in four working dads dissatisfied with their work/life balance. Thirty-six percent of working dads report they bring work home at least one day a week, and 30 percent say they often or always work weekends.
To manage personal and professional calendars better, working dads say they have taken advantage of work-style adjustments such as flexible schedules, telecommuting and time off to attend their children's events during the workday. Ninety percent report these adjustments have not negatively affected their career progress.
Here are some tips to help working dads gain a healthier work/life balance:
Earn the right: Before you approach your supervisor about implementing a more flexible work arrangement, you have to earn the right to do so. Work hard and establish yourself as a top player for the company and then propose an altered work schedule when the employer sees the value you consistently deliver.
Be strategic in your schedule: It's better to work one night until 9 and arrive home on time every other workday than work until 7 three or four nights a week.
Organize and compartmentalize: Set aside one night a week or a month to get organized at work. If you take work home with you, make sure your kids don't see it. Check e-mails after bedtime. When you're home, it's all about them.
Get involved: Introduce yourself to your child's teacher and ask for e-mail updates on his/her progress. Volunteer your time where you can spend it with your kids -- whether it's joining Scouts or coaching a team or participating at a school function.
Make time: At least once a week, schedule a family activity that involves interaction. Try to get out of the house and take your family for a bike ride, trip to the playground, visit to a museum, etc.
Pay attention to your significant other: Take the initiative to schedule a baby sitter for a date night with your significant other. Make a point of steering the conversation away from bills or household issues and focus on having fun.
Survey methodology: The CareerBuilder.com survey, "Working Dads 2005," was conducted from April 17 to April 25 and included 300 men, employed full time, with children under 18 living at home. Methodology used to collect survey responses for this study involved selecting a random sample of comScore Networks panel members. These Web panel members were approached via an e-mail invitation, which asked them to participate in a short online survey. The results of this survey are statistically accurate to within plus or minus 5.66 percentage points (19 times out of 20).
Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
- Re: 女人的解放带动了对男人的解放 (ZT)posted on 06/17/2005
That's true. Don't understand why this guy used so many words to explain it. English words are cheap, aren't they?:)
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