Editing Father (section)

== History of fatherhood ==
[[File:BritaAndI Selfportrait.jpg|thumb|Painter [[Carl Larsson]] playing with his laughing [[daughter]] Brita]]

Many male animals do not participate in the rearing of their young. The development of human men as creatures which are involved in their offspring's upbringing took place during the stone age.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.inverse.com/mind-body/the-first-stay-at-home-dad|title=Why ancient men had to evolve from carousers to doting dads — or die|first=Emma|last=Betuel|website=Inverse|date=21 June 2020 }}</ref>

In medieval and most of modern European history, caring for children was predominantly the domain of mothers, whereas fathers in many societies provide for the family as a whole. Since the 1950s, social scientists and feminists have increasingly challenged gender roles in Western countries, including that of the male breadwinner. Policies are increasingly targeting fatherhood as a tool of changing gender relations.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Bjørnholt | first1 = M. | author-link1 = Margunn Bjørnholt | year = 2014 | title = Changing men, changing times; fathers and sons from an experimental gender equality study | url = http://www.margunnbjornholt.no/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Changing-men-changing-times-fathers-and-sons-from-an-experimental-gender-equality-study.pdf | journal = [[The Sociological Review]] | volume = 62 | issue = 2 | pages = 295–315 | doi = 10.1111/1467-954X.12156 | s2cid = 143048732 | access-date = 2016-05-21 | archive-date = 2018-10-21 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181021020857/http://www.margunnbjornholt.no/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Changing-men-changing-times-fathers-and-sons-from-an-experimental-gender-equality-study.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref> Research from various societies suggest that since the middle of the 20th century fathers have become increasingly involved in the care of their children.<ref name=":11">{{Cite news|last=University of California, Irvine|date=September 28, 2016|title=Today's parents spend more time with their kids than moms and dads did 50 years ago|work=Science Daily|url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160928160716.htm|access-date=November 3, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Livingston|first1=Gretchen|last2=Parker|first2=Kim|date=19 June 2019|title=8 facts about American dads|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/06/12/fathers-day-facts/|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Pew Research Center|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Blamires|first1=Diana|last2=Kirkham|first2=Sophie|date=17 August 2005|title=Fathers play greater role in childcare|url=http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/aug/17/gender.children|access-date=2022-02-02|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Huerta|first1=Maria C.|last2=Adema|first2=Willem|last3=Baxter|first3=Jennifer|last4=Han|first4=Wen-Jui|last5=Lausten|first5=Mette|last6=Lee|first6=RaeHyuck|last7=Waldfogel|first7=Jane|date=16 December 2014|title=Fathers' Leave and Fathers' Involvement: Evidence from Four OECD Countries|journal=European Journal of Social Security|volume=16|issue=4|pages=308–346|doi=10.1177/138826271401600403|issn=1388-2627|pmc=5415087|pmid=28479865}}</ref>