Posted on Jun 19, 2022
For many dads, the COVID pandemic brought new perspectives on fatherhood
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https://www.npr.org/2022/06/19/ [login to see] /dads-work-from-home-covid-pandemic-new-perspective-fatherhood-children
With the shift to working from home giving dads the opportunity to spend more time with their children, the challenge of striking a balance between work and family over the last two years has given some of them new perspectives on fatherhood.
For Elgin Oliver, a dad of two who lives in Missouri, navigating fatherhood during the pandemic meant also working a full-time job and taking online courses.
"It was difficult, especially the school part, because just trying to have time to sit down and do my schoolwork and then still try to help out around the house with the kids ... so my time was really stretched thin," Oliver said.
With the shift to working from home giving dads the opportunity to spend more time with their children, the challenge of striking a balance between work and family over the last two years has given some of them new perspectives on fatherhood.
For Elgin Oliver, a dad of two who lives in Missouri, navigating fatherhood during the pandemic meant also working a full-time job and taking online courses.
"It was difficult, especially the school part, because just trying to have time to sit down and do my schoolwork and then still try to help out around the house with the kids ... so my time was really stretched thin," Oliver said.
For many dads, the COVID pandemic brought new perspectives on fatherhood
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Groups for dads offer a way to connect
Others have looked to dad-focused groups within their areas to foster a sense of community and connect with each other.
Somerfeld, who co-founded City Dads Group in New York City in 2008, said the organization has grown into a collective network of roughly 24,000 fathers in over 40 cities nationwide.
Sean Leacy, a dad of four and organizer for the Puget Sound Dads Group and Tacoma Dads Group, said: "With more and more dads coming into the home because of remote work, it's really given an opportunity for dads."
"Being able to be a part of these guys' groups and really getting a chance to connect with other guys has been huge," Leacy said.
The pandemic also gave dads an opportunity to reflect on the limited time they had to themselves, while cherishing the moments they might not have otherwise gotten to spend with their kids.
"I find myself extremely grateful for some of those moments that I have on my own where I can steal some me-time that we all sacrificed for a couple of years," Somerfeld said.
"I think a lot of it is just appreciation of what we have, of our health, of this special time that we had with our kids — that we'll never have that much time with them again," he said."
..."Groups for dads offer a way to connect
Others have looked to dad-focused groups within their areas to foster a sense of community and connect with each other.
Somerfeld, who co-founded City Dads Group in New York City in 2008, said the organization has grown into a collective network of roughly 24,000 fathers in over 40 cities nationwide.
Sean Leacy, a dad of four and organizer for the Puget Sound Dads Group and Tacoma Dads Group, said: "With more and more dads coming into the home because of remote work, it's really given an opportunity for dads."
"Being able to be a part of these guys' groups and really getting a chance to connect with other guys has been huge," Leacy said.
The pandemic also gave dads an opportunity to reflect on the limited time they had to themselves, while cherishing the moments they might not have otherwise gotten to spend with their kids.
"I find myself extremely grateful for some of those moments that I have on my own where I can steal some me-time that we all sacrificed for a couple of years," Somerfeld said.
"I think a lot of it is just appreciation of what we have, of our health, of this special time that we had with our kids — that we'll never have that much time with them again," he said."
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