American Fathering in Historical Perspective

In American Fathering in Historical Perspective, author Joseph Pleck shows the historical phases of the role of the father in American society. The chapter begins by exploring the Father's role in the 1700s and the 1800s. As mentioned in the previous blog, women in this era took on the responsibility of rearing their children; however after they were seven or eight they became the responsibility of the father. In year of the enlightened thinkers, men were seen as moral and rational, while women weren't. It was the man's duty to not only to train their sons in a trade but also make them rational and moral adults.

This father-children relationship started to shift with the raise of capitalism and industrialization. By the late 19th century, many men started to leave their home for work and be paid a wage for their labor. Wage labor meant the more hours you spent outside the home the more money you made for your family. As a bi-product of working outside the home for a wage, men involvement in their children lives became less and less direct, which resulted in the role shift from a emotional provider to a financial provider. Mother then took on the sole responsibility of the caregiver.

After huge portion of fathers not making it home from WW2, many people encourage fathers to become more than just a provider for their children. Husbands started to assist in raising the children from birth, and even maintaining the household. The range of responsibility grew even wider than pre-industrialization but it was not as big of a priority. The breadwinner mentality was still the dominant practice in American family households.

I think it is amazing how fast a society social norms can change. The very fact that father's roles has changed three times in America show that we have the power to change our current society. I wonder how President Barrack Obama's public relationship with his daughter going to change Americas perception of fatherhood now a days? Will it make being an active father more a norm?