Why New Age Fathers are The Best Buddies?

My title might sound weird to some and they must be thinking why I am calling the new age fathers, best buddies. In our house, my husband is Little Miss A’s best buddy and when he is around, she does not need anyone else in the world. This is what I mean that new dads have completely changed the role of a father.

The role of a father started changing with our generation I feel where fathers became more accessible and were less authoritarian. These fathers though focussed on bringing the money home, but they did take part in the daily life of the child.

The new age fathers have further changed the parenting game. They are the “daddy cool” because they can do everything the mom can. From feeding the baby from bottles to changing diapers to cooking with them to playing with them, these fathers do it all.

Today’s fathers take the responsibility of raising a child more seriously and do not restrict to earning the bread. Dawn of the new age dads changed the way parenting is looked at. 

The post, The Changes Fatherhood Brings is an interesting read on how a man changes when he becomes a father.

Who are the New Age Fathers?

The parenting ideas have changed a lot in the last few years, and so has education and the financial situation of each family. With a new set of values and outlook, the new age fathers are more present in the life of a child. Fathers traditionally did not show emotions easily and the communication was restricted and thus, the “connect” with the fathers was missing.

Parenting today is not gender-specific and the new age fathers are cool and hands-on. They can independently take care of the child. The role of a father is important in a child’s life as this has an impact on the confidence and self-esteem of the child. The work-life balance does get difficult for fathers undoubtedly, but it is no different for a mom. The only difference is she has managed it since ages.

(You may like to read our post, Fathers and the Work Life Balance)

Why New Age Fathers are Cooler?

In our house, when papa is around, Little Miss A is the happiest and does not leave him for a second. I often wonder why, as I spend more time with her. And this is not the case in my house as this seems to be a common scenario. Some reasons I can think are:

They Are Calmer

The new age fathers I feel are calmer than mothers. In our case, I agree this is true. I am constantly checking on what she will eat, or why the books are not back in the shelf or why the clothes are not in the laundry.

On the other hand, my husband will be calm. He will tell her but there is no stress and maybe that is why she would listen to him or rather ignore me. Kids find dads to be more reasonable on most days. It is the stress of a lot of things which makes a mother be after their lives and which I assume is what the kids resist.

Dads Give in More

When compared to me, my husband gives in much more to her demands. Be it screen time or she insisting to be carried and not walking, she knows she will get her way out with him. It is not about discipline I feel, but also on the time spent.

In our case, I am with her all day except the three hours she is in school. If I give in more, I have to face it all day. He, on the other hand, gets 2-3 hours in the evening and thus, the patience and willingness are much more than mine. Kids are very smart and they know how to take advantage of it.

More Sporty

Again, I am not the sporty kind and thus, outdoors are boring for her with me. Be it the park or any adventure stuff, Little Miss A is always looking for her father. Parenting is not a competition and it often happens, that what one does better the other cannot and that is where the balance comes in. Kids also understand and the one who does more fun stuff is obviously the ‘best buddy’.

(Read our post, Things Dads Do Better Than Moms to know that Moms are not always the best)

Why Are Mothers Not Cooler? 

Yes, the new age fathers have undoubtedly taken up more responsibilities and taken away a lot of stress from the mother. But the fact is that a mother is undoubtedly far more stressed when it comes to parenting. Have you seen the latest Airtel campaign on #Sharetheload on sleep?

A mother, be it a stay at home or a work from home or a working mother, is always managing things and is sleep-deprived. This undoubtedly affects the mood and patience levels. I have noticed the days I get proper rest, I am calmer and cooler. We as mothers have a lot on our minds, and the kids at a young age will not understand and thus, for them the fathers are cooler.

Fathers have work pressure but the pressure of work, what clothes will the child wear, what will the child eat, are the toiletries there, what school work has to be done and of course, always having something to teach them, takes a toll on the mother.

The other social and work commitments are something I will not even talk about. The new age fathers do it all but somewhere I feel it is still an option for them but in most households, the mother does not. The work the husband does is to help her and maybe a favour.

(Many think when husbands become fathers, they ‘help’ the mom and not do their part in the parenting role. Read our post, Does Your Husband do you a favour to know my thoughts on it)

Do Mothers Compete With the New Age Fathers?

Fathers today are penguin dads as I say and they are capable of completely taking care of the baby. The pressure is reduced for a mother but still, she has a lot more on her plate. As the new age fathers are present, pamper them more and are the adventurous types, they are the cooler ones and thus, the ‘best buddies’.

I will say again, never treat parenting as a competition. The bond the child shares with the father is as important as that with a mother. Each parent is important for a child and they might not show it but they love them equally. I think we mothers always want to be perfect and we forget there is nothing called a perfect parent. So chill and enjoy the journey and see the beautiful relationship of your husband and child bloom.

(You may like to read our post, My Daughter has a Penguin Dad)

Fathers are important and till date I am a daddy’s girl. This post is mostly about my experiences and why my husband is the best buddy. Please drop your comments and let us know who is the best buddy in your house and why do you think that is the case.