All in The Family

A nuclear family, which consists of a father, a mother, and their kids, has evolved and changed into what society calls, the modern family. Today, modern families consists of single parents as well as same-sex parents. Modern families have switched the gender roles, which is discussed in Sarah Eckel's article, "Dad-Mom Role Reversals." I can relate to the working mother and stay at home father which is the main topic discussed in the article because I was raised by a single father. Although both my mother and father worked, my Dad raised my sister and I after my parents divorced. He invested  lot in me while also working his career. My father played both the mother and father role, which can be quite difficult for a father to do.

Today in modern families, the contrast contrast of gender roles is becoming more evident. The article states how the father of his 7-year-old daughter had gone out to, run errands in [her] ballerina pajamas she’d slept in." He mentioned how he thought it was an outfit, and was unable to differentiate her pajamas with the clothes she wears on a regular basis. This illuminates how the parenting role for the father contrasts with the mother's. It is not unusual for a father to make this mistake, however, if a mother were to do this, she would be considered a horrible mother.

Many mothers invest more in their children than they do in a career. One mother in the article, however, had the opportunity to further develop her professional life; it mentioned how she appreciated the opportunity to do this. However, the contrast to this is the father's loss of ego in the relationship. Many mothers find fulfillment in taking care of their kids, while fathers find the same fulfillment in their career. It is important that both roles are seen as equally important, because each role is essential in its own way. 

An interesting aspect of this article was how one mother, Kelly, mentioned how she, "made sure to recognize her husband’s contribution." It is important for both the mother and the father to recognize the work they do, no matter what is is. Whether a father works in a career or is taking care of the children, he is still contributing to the family. Compared to a nuclear family, modern families can be just as effective if both roles are appreciated. It does not matter the role of the parent; all that matters is that they are investing themselves in the family and engage in different aspect of what will benefit and help the family thrive.