According to Hanna Harthoorn of Emancipator, a foundation dedicated to men's emancipation, it is not just better for men themselves if they work less, but it also has a beneficial effect on families, women and society.
Better for the Man
Men would be happier if they carry less financial responsibility. This is reflected in recent research by the University of Connecticut among more than 3,000 married men and women. Men, who are the sole breadwinner in the family, have an average five percent lower happiness score.
According to the researchers, this is because people between 18 and 35 years have an increased need for equality. That is a trend that Harthoorn sees, “more and more young men indicate that they want to be there more for the family. Researching Women Inc. shows that 60% of fathers would like to provide more for their children, with practical issues such as income”.
Social Barriers
The problem, according Harthoorn is that they encounter all sorts of social barriers. “It is still a taboo for men who want to work less. Often, the employers do not want to cooperate”. At the same time the government does little to promote the care of the family among men. “Compared with other countries,the Netherlands is still incredibly behind in terms of paternity leave. This arises from the beginning, the discrepancy between father and mother”,Harthoorn explains. “And it is the traditional view that masculinity and career making should be maintained. Men feel that caring is valued less than being the breadwinner”.
Better for Women
While men are happier when they work less, women are just happy if they work more, as is apparent from the same US study. The more financial responsibility a woman has, the better is her well-being, the researchers say. For men earning for the costs often is seen as a duty, while women see it as an opportunity or something that comes from a conscious choice.
Better for the Child
For children it is better if the relationship between father and mother equalises thinks Harthoorn. “Research of Men Care shows that children grow up healthier and happier if the father is more involved in education. A father has an important share in the education of children;it reduces depression and anxiety and improves self-esteem in children. They can enter more easily into positive relationships with others”.
And, not entirely unimportant, Weeda continues: “in doing so, you give the empowerment to your children by. Children learn that it is not obvious that the father works and the mother provides the care”.
Better for Society
Ultimately, it is not only better for the marriage and the family as men work less, but also for society, thinks Weeda. “What we call part-time work, should be actually called full-time. If everyone works part-time, we can divide the jobs fairly over the population. The unemployment rate then decreases and unpaid work, such as household, becomes more fairly divided”.
Currently the man often has the extra work in families, because he earns more. “But as more and more men will work less and women will work more, the income gap will also reduce”, concludesHarthoorn.
Source: http://www.rtlnieuws.nl
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