Child-Centered Versus Work-Centered Fathers’ Leave: Changing Fatherhood Ideals Versus Persisting Workplace Dynamics
Fathers’ parental leave use has often been explained by differing fatherhood ideals among low vs. highly educated fathers. However, recent research reveals that 75% of the educational-level impact stems from workplace differences. Therefore, a deeper understanding of how workplace dynamics interact...
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Social Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/2/113 |
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| author | Sigtona Halrynjo Ragni Hege Kitterød |
| author_facet | Sigtona Halrynjo Ragni Hege Kitterød |
| author_sort | Sigtona Halrynjo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fathers’ parental leave use has often been explained by differing fatherhood ideals among low vs. highly educated fathers. However, recent research reveals that 75% of the educational-level impact stems from workplace differences. Therefore, a deeper understanding of how workplace dynamics interact with both fathers’ ideals and actual leave practices is needed. Drawing on in-depth interviews with Norwegian fathers with and without higher education, we explore how different workplace dynamics, especially the degree of individual competition, interact with fatherhood ideals and fathers’ actual leave practices. We find strong adherence to the idea of ‘involved fatherhood’ and fathers’ quota across educational levels and workplace dynamics but large variation in practices. Our analyses show how <i>childcare responsibility</i> and <i>absence from work responsibility</i> do not necessarily correspond and how <i>formal leave uptake</i> and <i>actual leave practices</i> may differ. Our findings indicate that non-transferable fathers’ leave may dissolve former attitude-based divisions, as fathers across educational levels in collectively organized jobs support and practice child-centered leave. Still, fathers in competitive jobs may continue to practice ‘work-centered fatherhood’ despite their strong gender-egalitarian beliefs and formal leave uptake. Hence, workplace dynamics—especially the degree of <i>individualized competition</i> and the <i>fear of becoming replaceable</i>—may be more relevant than fatherhood ideals to understand and enhance fathers’ actual leave use and involved fatherhood practices. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b0d74f670fad4085bd46df348f3148bd |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-0760 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-b0d74f670fad4085bd46df348f3148bd2025-08-20T02:52:45ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602025-02-0114211310.3390/socsci14020113Child-Centered Versus Work-Centered Fathers’ Leave: Changing Fatherhood Ideals Versus Persisting Workplace DynamicsSigtona Halrynjo0Ragni Hege Kitterød1Institutt for Samfunnsforskning (Institute for Social Research), 0208 Oslo, NorwayInstitutt for Samfunnsforskning (Institute for Social Research), 0208 Oslo, NorwayFathers’ parental leave use has often been explained by differing fatherhood ideals among low vs. highly educated fathers. However, recent research reveals that 75% of the educational-level impact stems from workplace differences. Therefore, a deeper understanding of how workplace dynamics interact with both fathers’ ideals and actual leave practices is needed. Drawing on in-depth interviews with Norwegian fathers with and without higher education, we explore how different workplace dynamics, especially the degree of individual competition, interact with fatherhood ideals and fathers’ actual leave practices. We find strong adherence to the idea of ‘involved fatherhood’ and fathers’ quota across educational levels and workplace dynamics but large variation in practices. Our analyses show how <i>childcare responsibility</i> and <i>absence from work responsibility</i> do not necessarily correspond and how <i>formal leave uptake</i> and <i>actual leave practices</i> may differ. Our findings indicate that non-transferable fathers’ leave may dissolve former attitude-based divisions, as fathers across educational levels in collectively organized jobs support and practice child-centered leave. Still, fathers in competitive jobs may continue to practice ‘work-centered fatherhood’ despite their strong gender-egalitarian beliefs and formal leave uptake. Hence, workplace dynamics—especially the degree of <i>individualized competition</i> and the <i>fear of becoming replaceable</i>—may be more relevant than fatherhood ideals to understand and enhance fathers’ actual leave use and involved fatherhood practices.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/2/113family policiesfatherhoodfathers’ quotagender equalityindividualized competitionparental leave |
| spellingShingle | Sigtona Halrynjo Ragni Hege Kitterød Child-Centered Versus Work-Centered Fathers’ Leave: Changing Fatherhood Ideals Versus Persisting Workplace Dynamics Social Sciences family policies fatherhood fathers’ quota gender equality individualized competition parental leave |
| title | Child-Centered Versus Work-Centered Fathers’ Leave: Changing Fatherhood Ideals Versus Persisting Workplace Dynamics |
| title_full | Child-Centered Versus Work-Centered Fathers’ Leave: Changing Fatherhood Ideals Versus Persisting Workplace Dynamics |
| title_fullStr | Child-Centered Versus Work-Centered Fathers’ Leave: Changing Fatherhood Ideals Versus Persisting Workplace Dynamics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Child-Centered Versus Work-Centered Fathers’ Leave: Changing Fatherhood Ideals Versus Persisting Workplace Dynamics |
| title_short | Child-Centered Versus Work-Centered Fathers’ Leave: Changing Fatherhood Ideals Versus Persisting Workplace Dynamics |
| title_sort | child centered versus work centered fathers leave changing fatherhood ideals versus persisting workplace dynamics |
| topic | family policies fatherhood fathers’ quota gender equality individualized competition parental leave |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/2/113 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sigtonahalrynjo childcenteredversusworkcenteredfathersleavechangingfatherhoodidealsversuspersistingworkplacedynamics AT ragnihegekitterød childcenteredversusworkcenteredfathersleavechangingfatherhoodidealsversuspersistingworkplacedynamics |