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Show n Our Opinion Daddies of today have surely come a long way, baby Father, dad, daddy, pop, old man, patriarch today, as in the past, fathers are known by many names. But, in America, the role a father plays has changed dramatically. Today's father does not remotely resemble the fathers of the early 1900s. The old adage, "Children should be seen and not heard," was, in most cases, strictly adhered to at that time. Then, children would be brought to their fathers in the "drawing room where they would be instructed by the head of the household, and then sent away. None of the little tasks associated with bringing up baby were performed by this aloof individual. He was the breadwinner. bread-winner. That was his sole responsibility. There were no lively discussions between teens and their fathers about world events or, even more incomprehensible, curfews. Fathers would not be questioned. When he had spoken, that was the end of the discussion. And babies were not a part of the father's life. They were to be kissed goodnight. Nothing more, nothing less. Youve come a long way, baby! Bringing up baby is now a joint proposition. Dads are involved in-volved even before the 'bundle of joy' leaves the womb. All over America there are couples, one waddling, one carrying a pillow, attending birthing classes where fathers are taught the role they will play during childbirth. When the big day arrives, Daddy is right there in the delivery room, holding his wife's hand, coaching her breathing, in some cases panicking and in some even fainting. When baby arrives home, the actions of a new daddy would have his ancestors turning over in their graves. It would have been unthinkable for one of those patriarchs to arise at 2 a.m. to feed a crying infant. And changing a diaper would have been out of the question.l Is all this "mothering" today's fathers are doing a good thing? Certainly their forefathers would argue against it. But their children, the benefactors of this reform, applaud the change. New-fangled fathers get to know their children in a way fathers at the turn of the century or even fathers of the 60s did not. Fathers of the 60s were on the cusp. The revolution was just beginning. Sixties fathers had a difficult time learning their new role. They were torn between the old and the new way of fathering, and for some the transition was difficult. Some would argue that the old way was the best way. That children should not have the freedoms they are allowed today. Some may believe the strict, untouchable fathers of the past gave their children the discipline necessary to prepare them for the world. We don't agree. Today's fathers are more real. Now it's OK for a child to see a father's emotions. It's OK if daddy cries. It's OK to know that fathers are human. These visible traits make it easier for children to deal with today's world. They learn at an early age that not every day is a great day. They learn it's OK for them to express their emotions. And today's world allows them to express those emotions in many ways. Today's dads have opportunities to show this humanness that were not afforded to turn-of-the-century fathers. Nothing could replace the thrill of teaching a teen-age daughter to drive a car. The sheer terror of the experience provides a "bonding" opportunity that cannot be duplicated. If automobiles had been invented sooner, the father revolution revo-lution would have burst onto the scene much earlier. Today's fathers should be grateful for this opportunity. We applaud all of these modem-day fathers. Happy Father's Day to all of you. And don't forget to wear your seatbelt. |
