Hey guess what? It takes two people to have a baby. Shocker, I know.
We always hear about moms this, moms that and yes they are absolutely superheros. But they are also held to an impossibly high standard by people who don't even know them.
Then, there's dads. Dads tend to be seen as the fun, less strict parent and also tend to be given little to no credit for their parenting ability.
That's why it's so utterly frustrating when dad's get an insane amount of praise for doing something mom does...every. single. day.
Dave Hornby, a stay-at-home dad from the UK, shares the same opinion and wrote about dad's receiving extra praise for fatherhood when in reality, it's their job just like it is mom's.
Changing a diaper, taking the kids to school, or making them a meal are all tasks moms complete on a daily basis. When a dad does it? Well, look at how GREAT of a parent he is!!! So great of him to show he cares for that one time a week.
"I see it time and time again: mums are frequently belittled at every opportunity when it comes to child-rearing," says Hornby. "Whereas dads are placed on a pedestal for doing the things they should be doing."
"Either way, I find it strange that I'm seen as someone doing more than is expected," he continues. "It's like raising my kid is some kind of cute hobby rather than the huge responsibility I signed up for when we decided to try for a baby."
Continue reading to find out why Dave Hornby hates the term 'babysitting.'
Another thing that Hornby takes great issue with is the term "babysitting" when referring to a dad taking care of his own kids.
"Firstly, it makes light of the importance of a dad's role in his children's lives "“ he's relegated to that of sperm provider and babysitter," he rants. "Secondly, it suggests that a dad is somehow doing his partner a favor by watching the kids. They're his kids!"
Imagine if you heard a mom say to her friends "I can't come out tonight, I have to babysit the kids." People would think she has a part-time job or something! But when dad's say they have to stay home and "babysit" their own kids, it's seen as endearing that they want to spend time with them.
Other dads have also taken issue with this term of "babysitting" their own kids.
"It hurt really bad when I was a new stay-at-home dad and people would ask about me babysitting... It really made me almost cry sometimes because it was like they couldn't see me as a caretaker," one person wrote.
And it can even affect how the kids themselves are treated by other parents.
"Single dad here. It's even worse when my seven year old wants to have a sleepover," recounts one dad. "I call the parents. I explain she wants to have a sleepover and your kid is invited. Then the awkward question, will mom be there? And when you explain, no mom here - sorry, there's that long pause. Sad to say to this day she still hasn't had a sleepover."
It's rather outdated to assume that dads are just there to help out once in a while when mom needs a break. It's 2017!