Lawmaker Brings His Baby To Work, Of Course The Internet Didn’t Ask Why He Can’t Afford Child Care

Dad figures out how to make a ponytail, and the internet shouts a collective, “Aww!” Dad dresses his daughter, and he gets more internet praise. Lawmaker dad brings his infant daughter to work because he can’t find a babysitter, and the internet practically calls him a hero. In the former examples, we are congratulating fathers for things that mothers do everyday, which implies that fathers are totally uninvolved and should be rewarded for the most minimal effort. In the latter example, we are heaping praise on a dad for a situation a mom would be chided for.

On Thursday night, Winnebago County Board Member Kyle Logan could not find a babysitter for his four-month-old. So he brought her to a board meeting. When she fussed, he rocked her in his arms, and when he adjourned the meeting — he did it on her behalf. WREX 13 reports Logan said, “This is Harper Grace Logan and I think she would appreciate it if somebody would adjourn.”

The internet thinks this is adorable, and that it makes him the best dad ever:

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Aww, it’s adorable! What a great dad! I’m not disagreeing, but I think we all know what the backlash would’ve been had a woman done this.

 

Here are some comments on a article about a mother in the European Parliament who brought her child to work:

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Of course, there are people on both sides of the argument. There are a few people who chided Dad, but only to point out that if a woman was doing the same thing, she would be vilified, not showered with compliments about what a wonderful parent she is.

When we automatically label any parenting a father does as “cute,” while ignoring those same actions taken by mothers because they are just “expected,” we are doing all parents a disservice. We’re taking the hard work that moms do for granted and at the same time treating fathers like their parenting skills are novel. The same thing happens when we applaud a father for doing something a mother would be chided for. Can we stop acting like parental involvement from fathers is “cute?” It’s a narrative that isn’t helping anyone.

(photo: Getty Images)

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