We know take-up will be minimal because our past expectations of men have not been met. The discovery of just how little fathers wanted to be parents, rather than mere providers, came as a shock to the women's liberation movement. And in spite of 30 years of modern feminism there has been no mass movement of men, through their unions, clubs or companies, to win more time off work to spend with women and children.
This is not to say that there has not been a revolution in men's relationships with their children - the average father now spends much more quality time taking care of his children than 50 years ago, in the golden age of family life, the 1950s - that's 44 minutes a day as opposed to 11 minutes a day, according to research.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
