How modern dads are adapting to the changing role of fatherhood
Much more is expected of fathers these days, especially when it comes to raising children. Mark Sharp speaks to dads who are rising to the challenge
Simply putting food on the table just doesn't cut it any more. Families expect much more of fathers today, especially now that there are more working mothers. Children demand more of their time and care, too. But regardless of whether they are the main breadwinner, modern dads increasingly view this as an opportunity to be better parents rather than simply a challenge in juggling work-life balance.
Yat Siu, CEO of digital solutions company Outblaze, has noticed a generational shift in thinking about the role of fathers.
"In my parents' generation it was more common for mothers to handle household tasks, like cooking or taking care of children," says Siu, who has three children and has a keen interest in education.
A father may just be an ordinary man, but he is always his children's first hero or role model
"Today, I know more fathers who not only handle the cooking and the kids, but they actually enjoy doing so.
"My impression is that the previous generation considered parenting to be a loving duty, where as millennial parenting is more about the freedom to choose, free from old stereotypes. We are less guided by tradition on what to do and how to be 'better' parents."
There's no shortage of information on the internet to point them in the right direction, but this can be a quagmire.
"A lot of parents today reach their own conclusions based on the unprecedented access to information and social networks," Siu says.