Being a Good Dad is Most Important to Men

Results from a  new research study by Julia McQuillan, professor of sociology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and co-author of a paper soon to be published in the journal, Fathering, were announced last week. In a survey of 1000 American men who were either married or co-habiting, including both fathers and non-fathers, the men were asked about the importance to them of work, parenthood and leisure time. While 49 percent said that having a successful career was very important, a whopping 77 percent of U.S. men rated being a good father as very important.

This is important to contradict the stereotype that men are more invested in their careers than in their families. In fact, the men surveyed saw work and family life not in opposition but as a “package deal”. Further findings showed that two-thirds of the men surveyed believed in egalitarian values or an equal partnership between men and women. Mcquillan noted that most of the men agreed or strongly agreed with statements such as “Having children is important to my feeling complete as a man” and “I think my life will be or is more fulfilling with children”. It is time we realize that being a good provide AND being a good father do not have to be contradictions.