Dad Sparks Conversation About Parental Roles After Stating He’s ‘Not A Babysitter’
05/19/2017 08:49 pm EDT
With our society still finding its voice in gender equality and fighting for equal rights in the workplace, the media and societal norms have perpetuated the myth that fathers are somehow not exactly parents.
In a Facebook post that has since gone viral, one father is sparking a conversation about the biases mothers and fathers encounter when it comes to babysitting and sharing, he is "not a babysitter" when it comes to taking care of his children.
Jeremy Martin-Weber of Portland, Oregon, posted on his family's Facebook page, Beyond Moi, as his wife, Jessica was about to leave for a trip. Martin-Weber planned to be at home with four of his six children.
"Now to figure out who: will cook and feed my children, will get them to school on time, will pick out clothes for our youngest to wear, will respect their routines and help hold those boundaries for them, will hug them when they need a hug, and kiss their bruises, and tend to their scrapes," he wrote.
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But as he revealed, it was going to be him and only him, writing, "I'm not the babysitter. I'm not just their playmate. I'm their dad. And looking after them and guiding them and caring for them is my responsibility. And I love it — with all of its challenges."
In an interview with ABC News, Martin-Weber said he was prompted to post after the "inane" comments he had received over the years that questioned his abilities as a father.
"It's been simmering under the surface waiting to be let out," he said.
Jessica said the couple was talking about the comments as they headed to the airport, telling ABC News that when people find out he's home with six kids, they usually say things like "'Oh poor Jeremy,' or ''How does he do it' or even 'Who is with the kids?'"
Martin-Weber has been married for almost 20 years and is the father of six girls and a baby on the way.
"I've been pleased with the response," Martin-Weber told ABC. "People tagging their partner saying thanking them for being the same kind of dad. It's a slow shift towards more balance."
As for Jessica, she said she hopes the day will come when a post like this doesn't have to go viral for its empowering message.
"Male parents do not deserve more praise because they are male," she said.
Photo Credit: Twitter / @abcnews
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