ABSTRACT
This chapter examines work-life balance and wellbeing from the perspective of fathers and fatherhood. In the 21st century, strong arguments have been made within the literature on work-life balance for more research specifically on fatherhood and wellbeing. For example, Ranson claims that there has been too much focus on working mothers and not enough attention paid to what she terms "working fathers". The fact that such a term is not in common usage demonstrates the extent to which fathers have been omitted from discussions about balancing work and family life. Explorations of work-life balance and wellbeing have tended to focus on how women interpret and prioritize their commitments to family and employment: what social economist Catherine Hakim terms maternal "preference". Perhaps this focus on mothers has led to a relative lack of understanding regarding fathers' work-life balance, their work-family preferences, and the impact these have on wellbeing, particularly with regard to their relationships and masculine identities.
