A woman has sparked online discussion by advocating for gender-balanced parenting.
Bethany Morris (@itsbethanymorris) shared a video on Instagram where she openly addressed an old friend’s surprise at her shopping with four kids at home. She confidently stated that her husband is fully capable of watching their children, emphasizing that fathers are equally responsible for childcare. The video has garnered over 820,000 views and 47,000 likes.
In the video, Bethany emphasized the importance of shared responsibilities in parenting, highlighting that both parents should contribute to the well-being of their family. She stressed that mothers should not feel burdened to handle childcare alone if their partners are unwilling to participate.
The supportive comments on her post echoed similar sentiments, with many women sharing their experiences of shouldering the majority of childcare duties despite being in a partnership. Some users also pointed out the need for mothers to actively involve fathers in childcare tasks to break away from traditional gender roles.
Audrey Schoen, a licensed marriage and family therapist, highlighted the early socialization of children into gender roles, where girls are often expected to take on caregiving roles while boys witness their fathers avoiding such responsibilities. This perpetuates an imbalanced dynamic where women end up shouldering the caregiving burden, leading to a cycle of unbalanced household duties.
Schoen emphasized the importance of both partners being aware and willing to challenge traditional gender expectations in parenting and household responsibilities. Bethany Morris, in her video caption, expressed appreciation for fathers who actively participate in parenting, breaking away from generational norms.
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