Why is it usually mums only? What happens on your school class WhatsApp? I'd love to know your experiences and opinions because I can't work out why women dominate these chats in modern times?
Omg yes! Thanks for bringing attention to this. It’s something Stu and I talk about a lot on our queer parenting podcast and newsletter. The binary gendered expectations of parents help no one!! I feel like straight parents could really learn a lot from their queer parent friends in terms of division of emotional labour. My daughter started school this week and I just think it’s wild that it’s all Mums at the school gates and on the What’sApp groups. I know the issue runs deep and is to do with all sorts of bigger things like um the patriarchy, that will take longer to change, but there are things surely we can do to start to shift the dial. And Dads being as involved in the everydayness of their kids school life is an easy place to start. I really can’t think of any reason why Dads shouldn’t be on the same WhatsApps as Mums. Personally in my relationship with my wife I’m the one that is just better at banal WhatsApp chat than she is and I genuinely enjoy all the organisational elements of having a kid at school (it’s only week one so ask me again in a few months lol!) I think parenting should be based on competencies not gender expectations
Of course they do. Though ours doesn't want to be involved there, instead he's in charge of the after-school soccer and music.
I'm an admin on our WhatsApp group so when there are new parents I usually ask the one I see at pickup if I can add them, and also if there is a partner I can add (always asking carefully here as one doesn't know right away about family configuration).
Genuinely baffled as to why it’s not more widely accepted for Fathers to be in the mix (or even extended further to include all caregivers, Grandparents etc.) Less confused by many of the Dads I know simply choosing not to for their sanity’s sake or wishing to keep it shorter (& sadly sweeter) with other men.
Prime example: today I’ve been unwell so my husband did the school runs. After school he also took our puppy with him for a walk forgetting he couldn’t take the pup onto school grounds. Cue me WhatsApping friends to check someone could escort our daughter to him at the gates. Then having to use a Contact system to inform teachers.
I’m going to urge him to accept the Group invite & it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out…tbc!
Omg yes! Thanks for bringing attention to this. It’s something Stu and I talk about a lot on our queer parenting podcast and newsletter. The binary gendered expectations of parents help no one!! I feel like straight parents could really learn a lot from their queer parent friends in terms of division of emotional labour. My daughter started school this week and I just think it’s wild that it’s all Mums at the school gates and on the What’sApp groups. I know the issue runs deep and is to do with all sorts of bigger things like um the patriarchy, that will take longer to change, but there are things surely we can do to start to shift the dial. And Dads being as involved in the everydayness of their kids school life is an easy place to start. I really can’t think of any reason why Dads shouldn’t be on the same WhatsApps as Mums. Personally in my relationship with my wife I’m the one that is just better at banal WhatsApp chat than she is and I genuinely enjoy all the organisational elements of having a kid at school (it’s only week one so ask me again in a few months lol!) I think parenting should be based on competencies not gender expectations
Of course they do. Though ours doesn't want to be involved there, instead he's in charge of the after-school soccer and music.
I'm an admin on our WhatsApp group so when there are new parents I usually ask the one I see at pickup if I can add them, and also if there is a partner I can add (always asking carefully here as one doesn't know right away about family configuration).
Genuinely baffled as to why it’s not more widely accepted for Fathers to be in the mix (or even extended further to include all caregivers, Grandparents etc.) Less confused by many of the Dads I know simply choosing not to for their sanity’s sake or wishing to keep it shorter (& sadly sweeter) with other men.
Prime example: today I’ve been unwell so my husband did the school runs. After school he also took our puppy with him for a walk forgetting he couldn’t take the pup onto school grounds. Cue me WhatsApping friends to check someone could escort our daughter to him at the gates. Then having to use a Contact system to inform teachers.
I’m going to urge him to accept the Group invite & it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out…tbc!