Have you used male babysitters or nannies? When did your child first have a male teacher? Has your child ever asked you why there are no male teachers in his day care center, kindergarten, or grade school? Would you encourage your son to babysit or pursue a career in early childhood education?
I would have hired four of my five brothers and all six of my nephews as babysitters. Amusingly, the one who would have taken his charges out on the roof is the great father of six, grandfather of six. I still remember how delighted we were when one of my young uncles came to babysit. My Uncle Frank, six foot five, would hang from the top of the swing set, and we were allowed to keep all the money that fell out of his pockets. He held my brothers up to the ceiling when they were misbehaving, which I particularly enjoyed and they remember fondly. My youngest brothers were 15 and 17 when my daughter Emma was born. Going on vacation with her favorite nonparents was pure joy for her.
Several of my daughters' playgroups had helping daddies as well as helping mommies. We used a babysitting cooperative of parents when we went out; daddies were more likely to be the evening babysitter, to the delight of the kids. My oldest daughter has used several young male actors as babysitters. When I was with my grandson, I kept expecting Michael to say, "Go away, Grandma. I want Trevor or or Anthony."
My daughters had one male teacher out of three teachers in a one-room schoolhouse private school in Maine. On Long Island they only had two male teachers in grade school; one was their favorite teacher. My brother is a grade school teacher in Maine. He says male teachers of young children feel like everyone regards them as potential child molesters. The climate has completely changed in the 30 years he has been teaching. If a young child falls, hurts himself, bleeds, cries, he is not supposed to pick him up. That is deranged.
Fathers have frequently blogged about how they are regarded with suspicion in playgrounds. Grandfathers are afraid to speak to a child not their grandchild. Men don't feel free to protect a child in danger of getting hurt. Have we gone collectively insane? How can we advocate equal parenting if men are not to be trusted around young children?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.men comprise:
5.4 % of Child Care Workers
8.5 % of Teacher Assistants
2.7 % of Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers
What are we teaching our children about sex roles? What are we telling our boys?
I hope my commenters are honest and not just politically correct.