and should be seen as such. Both mothers and fathers are important in a child’s upbringing and their mental health is a significant part of that. We should remember that fathers have emotions too, and might also be struggling with their new role when they bring that tiny baby home and their new life begins.
Our expectations of fathers have changed significantly in the last half-century. Women are more equal members of the workforce, and so as a consequence men are more equal members of the household – they are expected to be involved in parenting, but this shift in attitude is difficult to translate into everyday practice. The different treatment of men and women is entrenched and habitual in Western society, and so we must make an effort to think of fathers as equal to mothers all day, every day, so that their equality is seen as normal and we start to see parents - both mothers and fathers - as equal, emotional beings.
Olivia Spencer is a writer and researcher living in London (England) with her husband, two children, and a baby on the way. She is the author of ‘Sad Dad: An Exploration of Postnatal Depression in Fathers’ (Free Association Books, 2014) out now on Amazon. Originally trained as an accountant, she now writes for Erisea Magazine, blogs for the Huffington Post and is working on her next book.
Visit Her Website -
OliviaSpencerWrites.com
Does Postnatal Depression In Dads Exist?
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