ABSTRACT
What makes a good father in contemporary American society? And more importantly, can good fathers effectively ‘mother’ their children? Without a doubt, over the past several decades, the cultural imagery surrounding what it means to be a fully participatory father has dramatically shifted (Burgess 1997; Coltrane 1989; Hobson and Morgan 2002; Ranson 2001). Instead of the ideal father being simply the breadwinner of the family, this ‘new father’ combines earning a living with the day-to-day care of his children (Pleck 1987). In other words, not only does he work full time, but he also is present at his children’s birth, goes to school conferences, does their laundry, and prepares their meals. This ‘new father’ is, in fact, just like any other modern mother.
