Is Child Care Only Women’s Duty?

by Chika Oki

Nowadays, a lot of women of developing countries go to developed countries to make money leaving their children behind. Some says these mothers can’t build a good relationship in family and cause their children to have mental problems. This ignores the real problem; who takes care of children. Many people still believe that fathers should go working to make money and mothers should stay home to take care of their children. In our time, however, it is impossible for family to live only with father’s earning, and both parents should take care of their children equally.

Actually, caring for children brings good effects on fathers. It has been found that male hormones “testosterone” decrease after a man has a child, and the more time he spends taking care of his child, the less testosterone he would have. This decrease of hormones can protect men from having a prostate cancer. Also, this shows that men’s bodies are naturally made to be a good father. According to the study, the number of testosterone declines after men get married, and men who get a child had much lower testosterone. Moreover, men who spend much time taking care of their children showed the lowest testosterone (Belluck, 2011). A decrease of testosterone not only reduces the risk of becoming cancer but also helps fathers notice a small sigh from their children. Instead, men may be less sensitive to women, but this will keep husbands from having an affair with other women. This does not mean that men lose attractiveness as males after they got married and have a child. On the contrary, this is very good news because this proves that caring for children is not an only women’s duty, rather men are also physically made to be well adapted to housework and caring.

In addition, the old stereotype which says the role of wife and husband is separated seems to be changing. In a survey which was performed in America, it was found that many middle-age men now regret for not having spent much time with their father when they were a child, and they wants to commit to housework and child care more(Lawlor, 1998). Also, it is becoming natural for fathers to do housework and care for their children while mothers are working. This proves that double-earning couples can do their duties as a parent by making up for the partner’s absence each other. Now, child care is not a women’s job but a parental duty, and fathers should commit to this work more positively because it will brings physical benefits and good relationship of family.