Although moms and dads are supposed to have equal roles and responsibilities in parenting their kids, society can have specific views that highlight the gender gap. The reality is that society expects moms to have a bigger part in rearing and nurturing their children. They are the hands-on parents while dads are often just seen as providers.
While many of parents today are attempting to break down traditional views, people can still utter inconsiderate things that compound the stereotypes. Here are five worst phrases that are still said to moms but never to dads, regardless if they are working or stay-at-home mothers:
1) "It must be nice to get a break from the kids."
Mothers who choose to go to work and leave the children with babysitters, daycare or relatives, aren't "taking a break" from being a parent. Work is not a temporary reprieve from their responsibility, but it helps to get some space from the kids, per Romper.
The principle is the same with stay-at-home moms who might sometimes plan on spending the afternoon by herself or with her friends. Moms need the space so they don't fall apart from tending to the family's needs, her Huffington Post. Dads don't hear this because society thinks it's not their work to care for the kids.
2) "Your body will change after pregnancy. It will never be the same again."
Biologically, this statement is correct as a woman's body will go through so much transformation during pregnancy. However, fathers aren't warned about this as much as mothers even if the men also go through physical changes. Worse, the "dad bod" receives more body positive reactions compared to the moms post-pregnancy, per Vox.
3) "Don't you feel guilty about not being there for your kids?"
Rarely do people say this statement to fathers who could spend countless of hours at the office. But Fell, a working mother, suggests a great retort to this statement, should moms hear it. "My children are with people who are adding value to their lives and supporting my ideas of how they should be raised," she said, per Woman's Day.
4) "Of course, the children should be the priority."
Fathers are rarely expected to juggle their time, change their schedule, or drop whatever they are doing when the kids need something. If dads do make changes to accommodate this, they are glorified for it. But when moms occasionally put their needs first instead prioritizing the kids, they are vilified for foregoing self-sacrifice, Romper cites.
5) "You have the luxury of staying home. What do you do with your time free time?"
There's a myth that comes with being a stay-at-home mother. People think they have an easy time to do whatever they want, when the truth is they hardly get any free time. "We all work really hard. Whether you're home or at an office, kids are work and we, moms wear many hats," said parenting expert Kuae Mattox, per Care.
