A woman on Reddit posted in the family community to ask an important question: Are dads supposed to help get their daughters ready?
"Is getting your child dressed a female thing to do? Is changing your child’s diaper a female thing to do? Is giving your child a bath a female thing to do? Is doing your child’s hair a female thing to do? Is making your child’s breakfast a female thing to do?" she wrote.
For context, she and her partner are both age 25 and parents to a 1-year-old daughter. She works from home, and normally does the bulk of the childcare, even when she's working.
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What is woman's work anyways?
"I asked if he could change our child’s diaper and get her dressed," the woman explained. "He said that it’s not his thing to do as he is a male and he should do things like take out the trash and take care of the car."
Maybe this man doesn't realize that he can change a diaper and also take out the trash he put it in. According to the woman, he also doesn't see the point of getting his child dressed if she is "going to be in the house."
He never asks what the plans are for the day either. But many people don't like their babies sitting in their pajamas all day long.
But he also had a day off
"He said that it would make no sense for him to get her dressed just to not see her for the rest of the day," she added.
Earlier in the post, she mentioned that the reason she asked him to get their daughter dressed is because it was his day off and he wasn't busy. The child's mother is busy working and probably doesn't have a lot of time to deal with her partner not wanting to pull his weight in the house.
He is also the king of excuses based on what she says next.
"He then proceeded to say that I am focusing too much on my job instead of taking care of our daughter and that he is trying to focus on starting a business so he can’t get her dressed," she said.
Yikes.
People had a lot of feelings
The comments are full of support for this woman, explaining to her that men are just as responsible for their children as women.
"A real man and a real father will change dirty nappies (diapers), feed a bottle/solids, wash and clothe little one as well as attend as many appointments, baby groups, activities and school plays etc. as they possibly can," one commenter said.
"I don’t believe that man or woman matters when it comes to getting children dressed in the morning, it’s a parents job to do so. It’s the parents job to care for the child regardless of anyone’s gender," someone else added.
"I'd ask him if he's proud of being a useless parent. Can he even call himself a father if he's that useless?"
Here's what's she had to say in an update to the post
She added an edit to her original post presumably after reading what everyone had to say about the situation. After talking, he began to realize the error of his ways and did offer to step up and be a present dad and partner. But it seems that the woman may not be fully convinced of his ability to change.
"I realize that I am in a relationship with a manipulator. We have been together since we were 18 but it wasn’t until after we had our daughter that I realized he is a manipulator," she wrote.
"I hope that he will change. But at this moment it looks like he’s always gonna be this way. I’m going to eventually leave him and just co-parent after I gain more respect for myself. Thank you everyone!" she ended the post.
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