In the Animal Kingdom although it's not the norm, there are many examples of fathers who are
very involved with the raising of their young. Why do you think traditionally this has not been the case for
humans, at least not in civilized societies?
Did you know that a man's hormones change when he is around a baby? If you have been a father with
a lot of contact with an infant did you notice this? Can you describe any emotional changes you
felt when your child or children were born?
If you're a mother, what changes did you observe in your partner once you gave birth?
It is more and more common, at least in the United States, to see fathers taking care of children.
Do you think this has happened because so many women are coming into the workforce or because attitudes
towards the importance of parenting have changed?
How do you feel when you see a father with a baby, a toddler or a child?
Another change is that fathers who were once figures of respect and even fear in popular culture have
now become to a certain extent objects of ridicule - hence terms like "Dad bod” and “Dad joke.”
What do you think has caused this change and do you think it's a positive one?
In many European countries there is compulsory paid paternity leave. Why do you think we
don't have that in this country and do you think it's something that should be adopted?
Traditionally fathers wanted something very different for their daughters and for their sons, but that
has also changed and many fathers encourage both athletic and intellectual achievement on the part of
girls as well as boys.
What expectations did you feel that your father had of you when you were growing up?
To what extent do you think his expectations were gender-based?
How did they affect you?
When you were growing up, was your father a role model for you?
Did he exhibit any attitudes and behaviors you wanted to avoid?
Do you think you have succeeded in doing so?
If you are a woman how did the kind of man your father was influence your choice of a mate?
If you are a man, how did the way your father treated your mother influence the way you treat women?
How easy was it for you to communicate with your father?
Was it easier or harder than communicating to your mother?
In what other ways was it different?
Did your father ever punish you? If so, and for what?
Did you think his punishment was fair?
If you were to design the “perfect Dad,” what would he look like and how
would he behave?