‘I am different’: a qualitative analysis of part-time working fathers’ constructions of their experiences

ABSTRACT

Although there has been an increasing interest in the notion of involved fatherhood, few studies have examined how fathers who work part-time and engage in child-rearing make sense of this experience. The present study explores how part-time working fathers positioned themselves in terms of their ‘at home’ and ‘at work’ identities. Thematic analysis was used to examine 30 interviewees’ accounts of their experiences. Three central themes were identified: (1) choosing to work part-time, (2) benefits of working part-time, and (3) contrasts with fathers as ‘breadwinners’. A common feature in all of these themes was interviewees’ flexible transition between traditional and non-traditional types of masculinity. The ways in which part-time working fathers positioned themselves as caring for children while maintaining attachment to more traditional types of masculinity are considered in terms of implications for theory and for fathers’ personal development. At a time where expectations of fathers engaged in child-rearing are increasing, the results of this study could be drawn on in the area of personal development to support men in forming new strategies around fathering practices.

KEYWORDS:

• Involved fatherhood
• part-time working fathers
• caring masculinity
• traditional masculinity
• breadwinner

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank the 30 fathers interviewed for this study for their time and sharing their experiences.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Eric Mercier

Eric Mercier completed the research for this paper during his Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of Adelaide and is currently a PhD candidate at the School of Psychology, University of Adelaide. His research interests are in the areas of men’s health, gender studies and mental health.

Amanda Le Couteur

Amanda Le Couteur, at the University of Adelaide, has published in the areas of racism, education, gender, health, and sport. She has a long-standing interest in the field of elite achievement and acts as a recruiting and development consultant in the Australian Football League. Her current research involves analysis of real-life interaction in contexts such as help-line, medical and counselling interactions.

Paul Delfabbro

Paul Delfabbro has worked at the University of Adelaide since 2001 and he lectures in the areas of learning theory as well as methodology and statistics. His principal research interests are in the area of behavioural addictions (gambling and technology) as well as child protection and out-of-home care. Most of his research work involves statistical analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys and experimental studies.