Let dads be dads: Rethinking balance this father’s day

Every Father’s Day we hear the same message: dads should spend more time with their kids. Lovely in theory. The real question is whether the system actually allows it.

The bigger issue

Most dads in Australia are still labelled the “secondary carer”. That means a token week or two of leave while mothers shoulder months and often years of the heavier load. Workplaces still reward long hours and look sideways when men leave early for school pick up. And the language around fatherhood does not help. A father with his kids is not “babysitting”. He is parenting.

Many men want to show up more at home but the way work and policy are structured still nudges them towards being providers first and parents second.

What could change

If we are serious about balance we need more than token gestures. A few shifts would make a real difference:

• Equal paid parental leave so dads can actually parent not just “help out”

• Flexibility for all parents regardless of gender or sexual orientation so raising children is seen as a shared responsibility

• Culture shifts at work when leaders take leave log off for family or talk openly about parenting it shows others it is safe to do the same

• Language that respects parenting dads are not babysitting they are raising their kids

  
  

Why it matters

This is not just about fairness at home. When families function better workplaces do too. Parents who are not stretched to breaking point are healthier more focused and more loyal.

And to the mothers who are both mother and father this conversation matters too. Their strength is undeniable but they should not have to carry it all without proper support.

This Father’s Day instead of urging dads to “make more time” let us push for the structures that let them. Healthier families mean healthier workplaces and everyone wins.

Interested in getting a Parental Leave Policy Template? Download for free here.