Changing Gender Roles?

Men wear the pants, work, and bring home the bacon. Women clean, cook, and take care of the kids. Are these stereotypes set in stone from the creation of man, or crafted from culture? Can a working father plan a larger role in the childcare of his children, or is it pre-determinedly a mother's business? Apollo Nkwake has spent a significant amount of time researching the differences between man and woman, and the respective roles they play in society. To find out, Nkwake conducted a study in rural and urban Uganda of working fathers with employed spouses. What Nkwake found may be surprising. Does the amount of money a dad makes influence his childcare abilities or the acceptance of his higher role in the care of his children? Does their place of home impact the role he plays? What about the opinions and judgements of neighbors? Nkwake proposes that the culture surrounding a family has a higher impact on the family dynamics than the parents' opinions themselves. But with this in mind, how do we fix it? How can fathers play a larger role in the child rearing of their children, while breaking the bonds of societal norms? Nkwake suggests in Changing Gender Roles that it will take all of the community to educate themselves, smarten up to male-female differences, and change this preconceived notion that fathers do not rear their children. Raising a child may be women's work, but it doesn't have to be.