So, Mothers' Day has been and gone for another year, and yet again was characterised by slogans such as "Mum - a title above queen".
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Which is all very well and good.
But as a supporter of gender equality, I wonder if Fathers' Day in September will see slogans such as "Dad - a title above King" become commonplace.
Somehow I doubt it.
Motherhood is rightly held in high esteem in the community, because of the nurturing, the love, and the care they generally shower on their children.
But do we hold fatherhood in the same regard?
Again, generally not, despite repeated studies showing how fathers play crucial roles in shaping future generations.
In fact studies have shown that when fathers are affectionate and supportive, it greatly affects a child's cognitive and social development.
It also instills an overall sense of well-being and self confidence, according to the studies.
And the absence of fathers can have a devastating impact on families and communities.
Experts in crime statistics say the biggest indicator for crime rates is not income levels or poverty, but the number of single parent families - predominantly through the absence of fathers.
I have even seen some say they can accurately predict crime rates for an area based on the number of single parent families.
This is not saying the parents are not putting everything they can into raising their children, it just recognises that parenting can be a tough job, and is always best achieved when two parents are working in unison.
But despite this fathers are often dismissed as little more than a joke, the punchline to so many gags on television shows that repeatedly depict fathers as inept, bumbling and irrelevant.
And sure, there are plenty of poor fathers, but there are also many good ones who help shape the future.
So, will we ever see something like "Dad - a title above King"?
I think "Dad - something like the court jester" is more likely.
* References -
Fatherless America by David Blankenhorn
A Link Between Single Parent Families and Crime (Howell, 2015)
Single Parent Families and Adolescent Crime (Kroese 2022)
