"Beyond the Cult of Fatherhood"By: David Osborne

                   "Beyond the Cult of fatherhood", when i first read this title i was a bit confused. I can imagine a cult of Motherhood but Fatherhood, what could a man possible know about raising a child. That was my initial thought as i began reading this piece. I do understand that there are many different types of families and there are men who are the primary care givers, but to be honest most men could not come close to the bond women have with there children.
                    As i continued reading, the author recognized my point and explained how he realized he could not come close to what his wife had with the child (Nick) even if he had desired to. This brought up another question for me, how many men want to have a strong bond with there baby but are unable to without making there partners feel insecure about there maternal duties? Do most men want a more active role in there child's life but don't know how to go about it?
                    The author begins the story by telling the reader all that has been going on in his day, from the baby's fever to the stress he has been facing trying to complete his work. I feel that most men would pity him while a woman reading this article would be happy a man is feeling her pain. That a man is understanding what she goes through everyday. I do have to admit that i felt like he should go through everything he did because it gave him a deeper appreciation to what mothers do everyday. The author goes on to say "After 48 hours, I'm ready to pin medals on women who stay home every day with their kids. For single mothers, I'm ready to build monuments...".
                     This story shows me that though the author had his doubts and moments that he felt miserable, the time he had with his son were priceless. When it comes down to it time goes so quickly, the author is only so lucky that he got such precious memories in the days spent home raising his son. Most men may be reluctant to admit it but maybe they want to be pushed into being more involved with their  child. Perhaps fathers want to say they have been forced rather than they made the decision themselves.