Mothering Men?

I loved reading this blog post by Kevin DeYoung earlier today!   He did a great job highlighting many of the take-aways from an article that was based on a book called Do Men Mother?  I realize that a blog written about an article that was written about a book seems to be a long chain of communication..  but I just had to share it because I feel it is such an important topic right now.

So let me cut right to the chase...  Here's the jest of the article:  Men are made to be fathers; women are made to be mothers.  Their roles are different AND integral for a child's development.

It may seem pretty simple, but let's be just honest, these types of simple, plain articles are clarifying and relevant in a day and time where the basic institution of marriage is being questioned AND "normal" reproduction is becoming less and less the norm, thanks to reproductive technologies which allow for any number of parenting possibilities {see Al Mohler's article below}.

So, like I was saying, simple findings but very relevant.  From Jenet's article:

But are fathers and mothers really the same? Do mothers “father” and do fathers “mother” in the same way the other would do?
Canadian scholar, Andrea Doucet, has explored this question in her book Do Men Mother? Her extensive research with 118 male primary caregivers, including stay-at-home dads, led her to conclude that fathers do not “mother.” And that’s a good thing. Although mothering and fathering have much in common, there were persistent, critical differences that were important for children’s development.

I also appreciated how Jenet carefully addressed the reality of single parents while insisting that the findings still stand as important and valid.  Here's her take on it:

Arguments for the non-essential father may reflect an effort to accept the reality that many children today grow up without their dads. But surely a more effective and compassionate approach would be to acknowledge the unique contributions of both mothers and fathers in their children’s lives, and then do what we can to ensure that becomes a reality for more children.

Go check out the rest of her article or DeYoung's blog for specific examples of how mothers and fathers differ in their roles.  I found it quite true for Hugh and I {& even a bit humorous at times}.  :)  

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Special thanks to Kevin DeYoung for his blog post and the above photo {which I believe came from the NY Times}.  Post found here: Do Men Mother?
The article he references is by Jenet Erickson and can be found here:  Men Don't Mother
The book she references is by Andrea Doucet and can be found here: Do Men Mother?
An article by Al Mohler on the parenting issues arising from reproductive technologies can be found here: Where Did I Come From? - It's No Longer A Simple Question