Navigating New Norms of Involved Fatherhood: Employment, Gender Attitudes, and Father Involvement in American Families

Brittany S. McGill, University of Maryland

In recent decades, gender roles have shifted toward greater overlap of men’s and women’s roles: women have entered the workforce in record numbers, while new norms of fatherhood now emphasize men’s involvement with their children in addition to their traditional role of financial provider. While much scholarly and popular interest has focused on how women have adapted to their roles in the public sphere, much less work has focused on men’s experiences in the private sphere. Yet men may face tension fulfilling their roles as both provider and involved father: while the “new father” role requires spending time with children, the provider role requires spending time at work. How do men navigate these contradictory roles? How does employment impact men’s involvement with their children? Are more egalitarian men trading off longer work hours for more time with their children? This paper examines these questions using the PSID Child Development Supplement.