Posted by: Richie Bernardo

Fatherhood is not what it used to be. Back in the 1960s, American families relied on a single income, that of the dad, who spent much of his week at work while mom stayed home with the kids. Today, two-thirds of family households depend on two incomes. And the contemporary dad no longer fits neatly into the standard of the married male breadwinner and disciplinarian.

Regardless of the changing identity and priorities of the modern dad, fatherhood remains an undisputedly tough job. And a father’s ability to provide for his family is central to his role. In fact, nearly 93 percent of dads with kids younger than 18 are employed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But some working dads — those who live in states where economic opportunity abounds and quality of life is emphasized —have it better than others.

In order to determine the best states for men who play a dual role of parent and provider, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia across 22 key indicators of friendliness toward working fathers. Our data set ranges from average length of work day for males to child-care costs to share of men in good or better health. Read on for our findings, expert insight on male-parenting issues and a full description of our methodology.

1. Main Findings
2. Ask the Experts
3. Methodology

Main Findings

Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/13458/dads-geochart.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="http://ift.tt/2rmuCxo;  

Overall Rank (1 = Best)	State	Total Score	“Economic & Social Well-Being” Rank	“Work-Life Balance” Rank	“Child Care” Rank	“Health” Rank
1	Connecticut	72.10	8	4	6	5
2	Minnesota	71.17	2	9	5	1
3	Vermont	70.37	16	5	4	3
4	Massachusetts	69.12	11	11	3	2
5	New Jersey	68.17	10	14	1	19
6	Rhode Island	65.09	27	2	21	17
7	Delaware	64.05	15	17	2	36
8	Wisconsin	61.51	12	15	11	11
9	District of Columbia	61.10	17	7	30	18
10	New Hampshire	61.09	5	39	7	6
11	Utah	59.60	19	12	14	15
12	Virginia	59.34	3	44	8	14
13	Iowa	59.00	6	21	22	9
14	Illinois	58.78	20	16	10	26
15	North Dakota	58.30	1	38	15	20
16	Maryland	57.62	4	36	12	16
17	Maine	57.23	28	10	17	22
18	Nebraska	56.87	7	25	24	12
19	Kansas	56.21	13	27	18	25
20	New York	56.06	43	8	23	24
21	Colorado	55.06	18	20	28	7
22	Washington	54.75	25	13	31	8
23	Hawaii	54.69	39	6	40	4
24	California	53.40	49	1	47	10
25	Indiana	53.27	24	30	9	40
26	Oregon	53.14	47	3	42	21
27	Ohio	52.31	21	24	26	38
28	Montana	50.75	29	18	32	37
29	Pennsylvania	49.35	14	41	33	31
30	Wyoming	48.44	9	47	36	30
31	Missouri	48.37	22	35	34	34
32	North Carolina	48.18	38	31	20	35
33	Florida	48.18	46	23	19	27
34	Kentucky	47.30	36	32	16	48
35	South Dakota	47.17	23	42	38	13
36	Tennessee	46.83	35	28	25	44
37	Michigan	45.86	31	34	37	33
38	Texas	45.74	30	51	13	32
39	Oklahoma	42.56	32	49	27	47
40	South Carolina	41.82	42	40	35	42
41	Alaska	41.11	34	33	50	29
42	Arizona	40.88	48	29	44	23
43	Georgia	40.77	41	48	29	43
44	Arkansas	40.72	44	26	41	49
45	Idaho	39.38	33	37	51	28
46	Alabama	38.47	37	46	43	50
47	Louisiana	38.25	26	45	49	46
48	New Mexico	38.22	50	19	46	39
49	West Virginia	36.91	40	43	45	45
50	Nevada	35.12	51	22	48	41
51	Mississippi	33.78	45	50	39	51

Ask the Experts

As the contemporary working dad faces increasing challenges in his role as parent and provider, we asked a panel of experts to weigh in on the most important issues. Click on the experts’ profiles below to read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions:

1. What are the biggest issues facing working dads today?
2. What budget-saving tips do you have for men looking to get fit and be healthy?
3. How likely is it that men will take advantage of new family-leave policies adopted in New York State and elsewhere?
4. How can young fathers find the balance between career and family?
5. What would a local public-health agenda focused on men look like?

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• Beth K. Humberd Assistant Professor of Management and Associate in the Center for Women & Work at University of Massachusetts Lowell
• Todd Wilkinson Associate Professor of Psychology at University of Wisconsin - River Falls
• Ascan F. Koerner Professor of Communication Studies and Director of the Career Readiness Pathway Initiative at University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts
• Eric L. Olofson Associate Professor of Psychology at Wabash College
• Mara Z. Vitolins Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention at Wake Forest School of Medicine
• Kimberly Greder Associate Professor in the College of Human Sciences, and Family Life Extension and Outreach State Program Specialist at Iowa State University
• Julie M. Braungart-Rieker Mary Hesburgh Flaherty and James F. Flaherty III Collegiate Chair and Professor of Psychology, and Director of the William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families at University of Notre Dame
• Adam Clark Assistant Professor of Practice in Family Studies and Human Development at University of Arizona, Norton School of Family and Consumer Science
• Harriet Shaklee Extension Family Development Specialist and Professor of Child, Family and Consumer Studies at University of Idaho
• Brian B. Parr Associate Professor of Exercise and Sports Science at the University of South Carolina Aiken
• Natasha Cabrera Professor of Human Development in the College of Education, and Director of the Family Involvement Laboratory in the Maryland Population Research Center at University of Maryland
• Geoffrey L. Brown Assistant Professor, Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences
• Stephanie Coontz Professor of History and Family Studies at The Evergreen State College
• Scott Tobias Assistant Professor of Human Development & Family Studies at Kent State University at Stark
• Bill Driscoll The New England District President of Accountemps, a divison of Robert Half International, Inc.

Beth K. Humberd Assistant Professor of Management and Associate in the Center for Women & Work at University of Massachusetts Lowell What are the biggest issues facing working dads today? In a sense, working dads today are facing some of the same struggles that women have faced in the past, but in reverse: women always had legitimacy at home, and struggled to gain legitimacy in the workplace. Men have always had legitimacy in the workplace, but working dads today are now faced with seeking legitimacy in their roles as parents – this is in the eyes of organizations, society, as well as themselves. In our own research we’ve found that even though many working fathers today desire to be more involved in caregiving and home life, they recognize that in practice, they often fall short. This is not necessarily the fault of individual men themselves, but rather the competing expectations that men face today with regards to traditional “breadwinning” and more recent expectations of “involved fathering.” Driven by women’s increased presence in the labor force, and the rise in dual-career couples, expectations for fathers are shifting from what they were 20-30 years ago. Fathers today – particularly those in dual-career couples – are expected to be more involved with caring for children; yet at the same time, traditional gender role norms – which associate men with work and women with home life – still persist and are resistant to change. These are the competing expectations that working fathers are grappling with today. In practice, this leads to some confusion for men in terms of how they should behave at work, with respect to family commitments. For example – many more organizations today are offering paternity leave than ever before. Yet, we also know that just because an organization offers a formal paid leave for fathers, this doesn’t mean that fathers are encouraged to use it. In fact, research has found that in many organizations, fathers face a stigma for utilizing some or all of the paternity leave they are offered; in other words, the formal policy exists, but the informal cultural norms encourage it not to be used. This is just one example of the practical issues that arise when working dads today are caught between competing expectations. Companies espouse that their family-friendly policies are gender-neutral, but in practice, this is often not the case. How can young fathers find the balance between career and family? A simple first step is to talk about the struggles they’re facing. In our research, many working fathers commented on how useful it was to share stories with other co-workers in similar situations; yet for men this is not often the norm in the workplace. The more fathers that are open to talking about it, the more those informal cultural norms will shift. In our work, we of course put much of the onus on organizations to encourage this – walk the walk around family leave policies instead of just talking the talk; set up space for working fathers to support one another; and perhaps most importantly, the leaders of today’s organizations – who continue to be predominantly men – need to model this behavior. When the CEO is leaving early to attend his child’s sporting event, he can sneak out quietly; or he can share this with those around him, as an example that being a good worker does not mean no time for family involvement. At a general level, finding balance between career and family is a struggle that all working parents today face. While the ideal goal would be for organizations and overall norms of work to shift (see recent conversations on our culture of overwork and expectations of ideal workers!), in the meantime, working parents need to seek out organizations that work for them – organizations that allow individuals to feel successful in both important domains of life. It’s easier said than done, but thankfully, we are seeing some strong examples of cultures in which this is possible. Todd Wilkinson Associate Professor of Psychology at University of Wisconsin - River Falls Watch (your kids) and Learn. We, adults, act in many unhealthy ways a kid would never think of doing. We carve out a small block of time from our 7-day weeks for "exercise." We get in our cars and drive to a gym where we pay good money to elevate our heart rates for a down-to-the-second interval of time using mechanical equipment indoors that simulates natural movements outdoors while watching screens that mentally take us away to more interesting places, anywhere but there. A kid would just walk out the door and play. Exercise is just part of the day for kids, it doesn't have to be structured or scheduled and it isn't boring. Even for adults, one of the best predictors of maintaining consistent exercise over time is finding ways to make it fun. Kids are mindful, they are excellent observers and often very present. I continually try to practice, for instance, when I am reading to my daughter, to be there; when I am answering her question, to be there. If I find my mind is somewhere else, I wake-up and bring it back to be there. I would love to watch my daughter's activities with half of the same wonder with which she watches the world. Kids will push back on rules that make little sense (as well as rules that make a lot of sense). No company or boss or stakeholder will tell you to take off early from work to watch your kid perform, play sports, do something they are proud of or just to spend time with them. We don't have the opportunity to do this every day but it helps me to acknowledge that instead of putting it on the boss, or the company, or the coworker, or society, that in many cases, no matter what the story is in my head about who else's fault it is in making me keep working, this is a choice, a choice that I make and for which I hold the responsibility. Kids absorb so much so fast. Kids and adults do what others do, not what they say. If you're constantly checking your phone while with your kids then expect them to do the same with you. I try to ask myself how I can model healthy living, things like including your kids in your exercise, putting a burley on your bike, getting in their pick-up games, playing their silly (fun) games with them. I don't think I'm writing anything people haven't heard already, but sometimes it helps me to just see these things in one place together. I will also admit I struggle with all of these behaviors; they often take awareness and being present to incorporate them into my day. I think we can also see how they can be especially difficult in a culture that demands increasing productivity, defines success as status and wealth and is constantly focused on the next thing instead of the now. When I do struggle, it does often help to think 'What's really important?" Ascan F. Koerner Professor of Communication Studies and Director of the Career Readiness Pathway Initiative at University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts What are the biggest issues facing working dads today? In professions that place high emphasis on worked/billable hours, fathers face essentially the same dilemma that women face. Any time away from the job for family duties is seen as lack of commitment to the career/organization and hurts their chances for promotion and raises. They still have the advantage that, unlike mothers in career who have to fight the assumption that they will value family over career, the basic assumptions for fathers is that they don't. So even if they sneak out of the office to pick up their kids from soccer, they usually don't have to justify it. Another advantage is that there are still lower expectations for fathers to participate in household chores, so even if they are involved in child rearing, they have fewer demands placed on them than mothers. Another advantage is that if they are seen to perform child rearing duties, they do get a lot of praise for the behavior socially, if not on the job. On the flip side, a lot of fathers that are substantially involved in child rearing will get no recognition for it, as much of that work is invisible and most folks (men and women alike) assume that the work is done by mothers. This is true in both work and social situations and hurts men in the less than super performance orientated careers, those that keep relatively normal hours. If in these jobs, young mothers are perceived to be occupied by family duties and as a result get some credit for it, fathers are just observed to be less productive. So, in summary, I think the main challenge for fathers is in the mid-level careers, where their family involvement is less visible. What budget saving tips do you have for men looking to get fit and be healthy? Walk more. Park away from your building and take the stairs, not elevators. It adds only minutes a day but does wonders, especially for those having desk jobs. How can young fathers find the balance between career and family? I think it is still easier for fathers to determine their involvement in family versus career, although both men and women who see their roles in more traditional views see that career involvement is part of how fathers support their families. The bigger challenge for men is to allow themselves to put a high value on their relationships with their kids and allow themselves to find their children's affection, growth, and successes to be rewarding. Once men can see their own value in terms other than the paycheck they receive, the tension they perceive between career advancement and family life will be lesser, resulting in greater work family balance. Eric L. Olofson Associate Professor of Psychology at Wabash College What are the biggest issues facing working dads today? The biggest issue is simply getting men home to be a daddy to their new infant. We need more generous parental leave policies for both mothers and fathers. Currently, parental leave policies are set by employers who may choose to offer only maternal leave, leaving fathers unable to be with their families in those critical early months of their babies’ lives. This can hurt dads, especially considering that many of them have never cared for an infant before. They need practice! Research has found that the more fathers can be involved with basic child care, the more involved they are in the years to come. But if they don’t gain those skills at the same time that mothers are, they may slowly become the back-up parent. As time goes on, she will end up taking over more and more of those tasks (because she’s had more experience) and he will end up watching her from the bench. So, getting dads at home for long periods will help them build their skills and show their partners that they are willing and able to do everything needed to raise their child. The other big issue dads face is balancing work and home life. Fathers in modern America have heard the message that they need to be more involved with their children, and researchers find that dads report more desire to spend time with their kids than ever before. Unfortunately, workplace policies often don’t grant the flexibility fathers need to do this. For a man trying to advance his career, this results in him spending more time at work and less time with his children than he wants to spend, but less time at work than his supervisors want him to spend. The result, unsurprisingly, is a lot of stress. Having more flexible work hours and an understanding manager can make all the difference. It’s important to remember that fathering doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Mothers’ issues are fathers’ issues, and vice versa. So it makes sense that many researchers argue that expanding paid maternity leave can help dads spend more time with their children. When moms have to forfeit paychecks to stay home with a new baby, fathers are left needing to work extra hours to make ends meet. For modern fathers who want to spend more time bonding with their children, working extra hours is the last thing they want to do. We’re making men deal with two new sources of stress — having a new baby and working overtime — at the time of their lives when they should be spending rewarding time at home building strong, healthy families. What budget saving tips do you have for men looking to get fit and be healthy? Coordinate more meals around dried beans you cook at home, and avoid too much red meat. Recent investigations into the dietary habits of the world’s healthiest people have found beans to be a staple food. They’re cheap, low in calories, and packed with protein for men looking to stay fit. There probably isn’t a better way to save money while staying fit than cycling to work. By riding my bicycle to work my family has been able to function with only one car, saving us money and helping me to stay healthy. Exercising with your children is another great way to stay healthy and model a healthy lifestyle to your children. Get outside! Buy a running stroller and go for a run. Go hiking with them. Add some intensity to your bike ride by putting them in a bike trailer, and make your destination the Farmers' Market if you want to be really healthy. But you can also be creative and fun. When my daughter was an infant, I used her for arm curls. Now that they’re school aged, they lay on my back when I do push-ups, and my more fit friends have them hang on their legs when they do pull-ups. You might not bulk-up under this training routine, but if you want to stay healthy without paying for a gym membership, it works. How can young fathers find the balance between career and family? A recent book, “Superdads: How Fathers Balance Work and Family in the 21st Century” by Gayle Kaufman, suggests that there are three models for balancing career and family. Traditional dads emphasize the breadwinner role and spend relatively little time at home, but they are often satisfied in their ability to provide for their families. “New dads” try to have it all, being an all-star dad at home and advancing at work. These dads unfortunately experience a lot of stress; as much as we want to have it all, we can’t, and trying to make it work can be emotionally taxing. “Superdads” flip the traditional script by intentionally prioritizing being fathers over being workers. They choose careers that allow flexible hours, short commutes, and other features that allow them to focus on what is really important: their families. They accept that this will likely mean they earn less money and won’t climb the corporate ladder as fast or as high, but that can be compensated by living within their means at home. Unsurprisingly, they are much happier than the “new dads.” The important thing is to identify the priorities that you and your partner value and focus your energies there. What would a local public health agenda focused on men look like? Although the most important policy changes are at the state or national level, like expanding parental leave, there are things that can be done at the local level. One is to encourage employers to be flexible with their employees. Researchers have found that a company’s policies on family leave and schedule flexibility are less important than the attitudes of the immediate supervisor. Even with great corporate policies, fathers won’t take advantage of them if the supervisor makes it clear that doing so would hurt their chances for a promotion or a raise. Local business leaders could discuss ways that they can create healthy communities through supportive workplaces. Another item on a public health agenda would be to have good public spaces allowing for weekend events. Having a local library with great children's programming doesn’t help many fathers if it is only running during the workday on Monday through Friday. Weekend activities at the library or local museum would help fathers and their children. High quality local and state parks also give families opportunities for camping, hiking, and fishing, and there are few activities better for family togetherness (and child development) than a weekend spent camping. Mara Z. Vitolins Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention at Wake Forest School of Medicine What are the biggest issues facing working dads today? I believe it is the same struggle that women face (although they don’t get credit for it) – that of creating a good balance between work and family. Women in the work force have been very vocal about their need for work-family balance but it seems few men stand up for themselves in the same manner. The support is limited and that can create a huge amount of stress for a working dad. Clearly, more efforts need to be made to identify and assist men who are struggling with this issue! What budget saving tips do you have for men looking to get fit and be healthy? Simple approaches to improve health and fitness: reduce added sugars. A man doesn’t have to cut all sugar but should start by identifying one constantly consumed food that has added sugar and reduce the number of times he eats it (from daily consumption - move to weekly consumption then to eating it once a month or less). As for exercise, men should not overlook the fitness benefits of just getting out and walking. Other than needing a good pair of shoes to walk in, walking is inexpensive, and can essentially be done anywhere, at any time. 10,000 steps a day at a good pace/clip is what is recommended, more is better… of course! How can young fathers find the balance between career and family? This is tough for both women and men; one person’s “balance” isn’t necessarily what another person would consider a balance. This is so individualized that it is difficult to address. Women talk about this amongst themselves and I suggest men should do the same - it helps to hear how someone like you has addressed and resolved barriers to striking a work/family balance, etc. There is no shame in caring about family although traditionally men have not been “supported” for this behavior. Additionally, a young father should talk to his family about his struggles with balancing work and family because his family may not even realize he is struggling - asking them for help has the potential to relieve a bit of the stress. Suffering in silence is not necessary! What would a local public health agenda focused on men look like? Screening tests: Men need to have screening tests as recommended by national guidelines (cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes) but seem reluctant to get them done. Focus on health: Making healthier choices with regards to diet, exercise and sleep habits. Kimberly Greder Associate Professor in the College of Human Sciences, and Family Life Extension and Outreach State Program Specialist at Iowa State University What are the biggest issues facing working dads today? For some dads, more time is spent carrying out responsibilities related to caring for children than in the past. For some families, this is predominantly due to wives/partners having full-time careers and co-parenting being seen as a shared responsibility. For other dads, less time is spent at home and contributing to caring for children, due to having to work multiple jobs or working long hours to make ends meet (pay bills). What budget saving tips do you have for men looking to get fit and be healthy? You don’t need a gym membership to get exercise. Learn about body weight exercises. You can do a tremendous amount of body weight exercises that focus on all areas of your body e.g., sit ups, jumping jacks, squats, stretching, planks. Exercising at home saves time from having to drive to a gymnasium, change clothes, exercise at the gym and then drive back home. You can exercise at home while also being available to your children. Depending on the age of your children, you can invite them to join you in exercises - make it fun (e.g., jumping jacks, dancing, make a game out of doing sit ups). How can young fathers find the balance between career and family? Realize that you can’t do everything. It’s difficult to be a titan of the workplace and also be available to be a significant part of being at home - helping to take care of your children. Have reasonable expectations - you can’t expect to be able to travel significantly for your job and be available to take care of your children on a regular basis; there are trade-offs. Kids grow up - you will never get those years back. Take time to develop meaningful relationships with your kids - the pay-off is bigger than any pay check will bring. What would a local public health agenda focused on men look like?

• Outreach that emphasizes “whole” wellness at all ages (e.g., physical, mental, spiritual). Capture young men’s attention vs. waiting until men are older and start to have health issues. Help men realize that the answer to long-term health is not solely focused on “bodybuilding” and getting “big muscles”. Help young men learn about what they need to do now in order to be healthy in old age (ask themselves, “x”).
• Offering free physicals.
• Offering free forums or seminars by local health clinics, University Extension for men of different age groups. Make sure to focus on seminars for younger men - most seminars offered by hospitals/clinics focus on older men.
• Getting men important information before they get older (e.g., how to eat healthy, important supplements to take, value of nurturing personal relationships, natural ways to incorporate physical activity into daily life, while in your 20s, 30s, so you are healthy when you are 60s, 70s).
• Helping men learn to make quick, nutritious meals and snacks (or how to select them at restaurants).
• For many men, when they are younger they are not diagnosed with health issues and they feel good. When they get older, suddenly things are not perfect anymore (triglycerides high) - the body functions more efficiently when you are younger.
• We need to help young men learn about what they need to do now in order to be healthy in old age. They should ask themselves, “What do I want my 60 year old self to be like?” Then find out what they need to do now in their 20s and 30s to help their 60 year old self be the way they want.

Julie M. Braungart-Rieker Mary Hesburgh Flaherty and James F. Flaherty III Collegiate Chair and Professor of Psychology, and Director of the William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families at University of Notre Dame What are the biggest issues facing working dads today? Over the last several decades, both men’s and women’s roles have changed. With an increasing number of mothers entering into the workforce while infants are still young, men have been expected to engage in more direct childcare. Unfortunately, society does not always support men in their role as fathers. There seems to be an assumption in our culture that men are not as capable as women in taking care of children. In movies and TV shows, especially those in the comedy genre, fathers are depicted as inadequate and incapable of engaging in even simple household and caregiving tasks. In addition, the workplace environment for men may not be supportive of fathers. Men rarely have the opportunity to take paternity leave. Highly engaged and active fathers may also be perceived as less ambitious in their jobs compared to men who are less active as fathers and who perhaps work longer hours. Thus, there is less social support from peers for being a highly involved father. Compared to women, men may not have had many male role models for how to be a highly involved father. Their own fathers may have served primarily as breadwinners and were less directly involved in day-to-day caregiving, so current fathers may have to “wing-it” as they go through their journey of fatherhood. This can make parenting a more daunting task for men, and fathers may be concerned that they aren’t “doing it right.” These feelings of inadequacy can be compounded if mothers act as “gatekeepers.” That is, some women appoint themselves the power to decide how much the father should be involved with childcare. They can give mixed signals in which gatekeeping mothers state that they need more help but are then hypercritical of how the father engages in childcare. This pattern can be particularly prevalent if the spousal relationship is a generally conflictual one. Thus, men face challenges with cultural stereotypes of ineptness and incompetence. The workplace may not have policies to support fathering and may view active fathers as less productive employees. And even in their own homes, some men may struggle in their role if their spouse is unsupportive and undermining men’s efforts to be highly involved fathers. Adam Clark Assistant Professor of Practice in Family Studies and Human Development at University of Arizona, Norton School of Family and Consumer Science What are the biggest issues facing working dads today? I think a big issue for a lot of working dads is trying to find a good balance amid shifting social attitudes about what it means to be a father. Modern marriages are much more egalitarian than they were 30 or 40 years ago and men are taking on more household and childcare labor than ever before. This is something that has developed naturally as more and more women have entered the workforce and are contributing substantially to household incomes. Most men want to do this but it tends to put them in a bind with their work obligations. Employers tend to view men who are fathers more favorably than single or childless employees but many companies don't provide much in the way of family-friendly policies or at least don't apply them as liberally to men as they would to women. The assumption, still, is that if a man has children, then there is a woman at home taking care of them. This can lead to a lot of dissonance between what a working father may want to do with his family and what his employer will actually accommodate; and that means stress. What budget saving tips do you have for men looking to get fit and be healthy? Getting fit doesn't require a gym membership or a fancy diet. It really just starts with having the discipline to make a few small changes here and there in your lifestyle that add up over time. First, is diet. Cut back on processed foods and start loading up on fresh fruits and vegetables. The pre-packaged meals are often more expensive than doing it yourself and have lots of additives and preservatives that aren't good for you anyway. There are lots of healthy food blogs out there targeting different levels of cooks. Find one that works for you and pick a handful of healthy recipes that you think you can master. One blog that my wife and I love is Budget Bytes. It features recipes that are cheap but also tasty and usually pretty healthy and easy to make. As far as fitness goes, between work and family demands, I don't really have the time or the motivation to go to a gym so I do most of my workouts at home. All you need is a set of adjustable dumbbells with 40-60 lbs. of weight and a pull-up bar. With a quick online search you can find lots of routines that don't require any more than this as far as equipment goes and that will work up a good sweat in 20-30 minutes and leave you feeling good and sore. How can young fathers find the balance between career and family? This is the million dollar question. (And one, by the way, that women in the workforce have been struggling with for decades). I think it starts with having a frank discussion with one's spouse or partner about what their expectations are for employment, household labor, and family time. It can be easy in a lot of professions to let work take over your life. And if a young father has to work more than one job to make ends meet, then so be it. But when he's home with his family he should try hard to really be home with his family. Set clear expectations about how much time both parents are going to be spending outside of the home for paid work and be intentional about carving out time specifically for family. It doesn't always have to be a lot of time but kids need to know that fathers care and are involved in their lives. And expect this to change at different stages in your kids' lives and throughout your own professional career. Some years, you'll really need to put in more hours for whatever reason. Just make sure that you're still taking time, when appropriate, to spend with your spouse or partner and children. They'll understand and appreciate you for it if they know you are really making an effort to stay connected despite your busy schedule. The Boston College Center for Work and Family is a great resource for more specific scientific findings on this subject. What would a local public health agenda focused on men look like? This could be so many things. Here are just a few bullet points that come to mind:

• Responsible sexual decision making (targeting college-age males, specifically).
• Relationship skills training.
• Work-life balance seminars, possibly delivered through partnerships with employers and non-profits of some kind.
• Parenting skills for men, especially divorced and/or single dads. I saw a great video recently about a single dad who goes around the country teaching other single dads how to do their daughters' hair. It's not just about the hair skills but taking the time to be with and care for their girls.
• Community events featuring special activities for dads and their children.

Harriet Shaklee Extension Family Development Specialist and Professor of Child, Family and Consumer Studies at University of Idaho What are the biggest issues facing working dads today? The biggest issues for working dads are the same as those for working moms, and generally true across states:

• Affordable quality child care;
• Access to paid parental leave to care for sick children;
• Unpredictable, varied work schedules;
• Low pay and difficulty getting enough work hours to make ends meet (for hourly workers);
• Managing debt – mortgage, credit card, educational debt;
• In view of the challenges of meeting daily expenses, there is an ongoing problem of saving for the long term, e.g., expenses of college and other post-high school training for the kids, retirement for mom and dad, etc.

All of these challenges are especially acute for single dads and moms. How can young fathers find the balance between career and family? The most assured route to work-family balance is to have committed partners in caring for the children – whether a wife, a parent, neighbor, child care provider, nanny, etc. What would a local public health agenda focused on men look like? Public support in helping families meet these needs would relieve chronic stress and support parent health – might even free up some time for regular exercise or to prepare healthy meals. Brian B. Parr Associate Professor of Exercise and Sports Science at the University of South Carolina Aiken What are the biggest issues facing working dads today? Balancing time between work, family, and personal time (exercise, maintaining social and professional connections). What budget saving tips do you have for men looking to get fit and be healthy?

• Stop eating out so much! Preparing meals at home can save money and can be healthier.
• Get enough sleep! Not getting enough sleep is an often-overlooked source of stress and can undo many benefits of healthy eating and exercise.
• Find ways to exercise and be active without joining a gym to save money. Many exercises can be done at home with little or no equipment and are just as effective as what you would do in the gym.
• Get the family involved in a healthy lifestyle. Kids can help plan a menu, go grocery shopping, and help prepare meals. Exercise and activity should be for the whole family, too. A family walk or bike ride is a perfect way to get healthy and spend time together.

How can young fathers find the balance between career and family?

• Focus on impact/productivity over time. Many people think of work as spending “time” rather than actually doing what they set out to do. When possible, a flex schedule or working from home some days can allow you to get everything done more quickly so you have more time for family activities.
• The same is true at home: even with limited time, planning activities that maximize time with family can make up for not having many hours each day to spend together.

What would a local public health agenda focused on men look like?

• Emphasize preventive medical screenings.
• Emphasize importance of healthy eating and exercise at any age.
• Acknowledge potential stresses of achieving work-life balance.

Natasha Cabrera Professor of Human Development in the College of Education, and Director of the Family Involvement Laboratory in the Maryland Population Research Center at University of Maryland What are the biggest issues facing working dads today? For poor working dads and probably for those at the very top, is the lack of time to spend with children so they can develop long-lasting healthy and positive relationships. Poor men who work 3 jobs to make ends meet are working a lot and therefore are out of the house all day so there's no time to spend with their kids and being involved in ways that matter for kids and parents. Working all those jobs and making no money also adds stress to the family and economic hardship which can have negative effects on children. Stressed out parents are less patient, use more harsh punishment, and are generally less emotionally supportive. For the men who don't work, the issue is not time but expectations that they should be working instead of caring or kids. For example, unemployed men can still be good dads by spending quality and positive time with their children while they look for work. But often, these men think that the most they can do for their kids is support them economically and both society and partners expect the same. What budget saving tips do you have for men looking to get fit and be healthy? If men are fathers, exercise in playgrounds with their children. Monkey bars, stairs and running around track are great ways to keep the entire family healthy. Moreover, kids who see their fathers exercise are more likely to model that behavior. If exercise is part of a sport, participation will also help with self-confidence, discipline, and regulatory behaviors. Learning to lose with grace and learn from mistakes/failure while pushing hard to do well are important skills that transfer to school settings. How can young fathers find the balance between career and family? This is tough for everyone, but not impossible to achieve. Finding the right balance should be a family decision where everyone pitches in and helps each other. For example, when my children were young, I exercised in the morning while my husband got kids ready for school and set breakfast. He exercised in the afternoon while i made dinner and got kids settled. Also, we included our children in most routines/chores. Fathers can go grocery shopping with children (with some effort this can actually be enjoyable and a good teaching opportunity for kids), run errands, help in garden/yard/house etc. What would a local public health agenda focused on men look like? Support their role as fathers from the beginning. Include them in prenatal activities, provide health oriented publish service announcements to fathers not just mothers. Most nutrition ads etc. have mothers in them - some of them have both - but rarely have I seen ads on health and child related stuff just for fathers. Fathers should be in schools participating in health-activities with kids, playing soccer, planting gardens, encouraging kids to eat healthy and stay active. Michelle Obama's initiative has been great for kids but has not really said to fathers, hey, you guys are part of this movement to keep yourselves and your children healthy. Healthy bodies healthy minds. Geoffrey L. Brown Assistant Professor, Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences What are the biggest issues facing working dads today? One of the biggest challenges has to do with shifting societal expectations for the paternal role. Fathers today are increasingly expected to be more involved in their children’s lives than were fathers of past generations. This is a positive development, but changes in attitudes and institutions have not always kept pace with these new expectations. So, fathers are expected to (and generally want to) be positively involved in all aspects of their children’s lives, but they are also still expected to maintain their traditional bread-winning role by striving for success in the workplace. We know that this work-life balance puts a strain on working mothers, and we are starting to see that there are some similar effects among working fathers. One challenge is simply a shortage of time to devote to both family and work; there are only so many hours in the day for working dads. Another is the stress that many fathers experience when they perceive themselves as being unable to devote adequate time and/or psychological energy to either family life or work life. That can be a real problem for some men, and it can lead to lower levels of life satisfaction and psychological well-being, which are not helpful for being a good parent or a productive worker. How can young fathers find the balance between career and family? I think there are a number of things that would be helpful for young men trying to find this balance. For starters, the government or private employers in this country could develop family-friendly leave policies that are more in line with those of other industrialized nations. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that those policies are beneficial for both families and employers. But working fathers have a role to play as well. One simple place to start is by taking advantage of the family leave time and other resources that are offered in your workplace, particularly in the early months of a child’s life. Unfortunately, many new fathers fail to use time off that is available to them, which is a shame. This may be due in part to implicit pressure to maintain workplace productivity, but also because men are sometimes unfairly stigmatized -- usually by other men -- for spending time with family over work. We can start to move past that stigma if more men understand that the time and energy they devote to fatherhood is at least as important as what they devote to work, and judging co-workers for prioritizing a new child is not helpful for anyone. One other essential element of balancing career and family is maintaining open and honest dialogue with your partner. Talk with each other about each of your expectations for career and family life, and clearly communicate your needs and desires. How do each of you feel about your current career path? How comfortable are you both with traditional or non-traditional gender roles? What schedule will collectively work best for you, your partner, and your children? The most important thing is that couples do their best to be on the same page and support one another’s efforts in the home and the workplace. Maintaining a strong couple and co-parenting relationship is one of the best ways to manage work-life balance, and has clear benefits for both fathers and their children. What would a local public health agenda focused on men look like? I can say a few words about fathers specifically and would argue that there’s a lot of value in considering the development of early father-child relationships as an important public health issue. Many of the programs aimed at supporting children and families have not fully incorporated fathers. Further, we know that mothers and fathers are different from each other – they are affected by different issues and they interact with their children in different ways. So we need to do a better job of developing programs, interventions, and preventive interventions that are uniquely suited to the particular strengths of fathers and that address the unique challenges of being a father. There is now plenty of data to suggest that investing in healthy father-child relationships in infancy and early childhood will certainly have downstream benefits for children and will likely have benefits for the physical and mental health of fathers as well. Stephanie Coontz Professor of History and Family Studies at The Evergreen State College What are the biggest issues facing working dads today? There are lots of issues, of course. One is the rising job and income insecurity that makes couples, and especially men, feel they have to double down on their work efforts in order to keep their jobs. Another is the hollowing out of middle-class occupations that makes so many parents frantic to buy houses in expensive neighborhoods with better schools in order to give their children a competitive edge. But one really big issue is that the US is one of the very few advanced industrial countries that doesn’t reserve some parental leave specifically for fathers. Both because of economic and cultural pressures, in the absence of use-it-or-lose-it daddy leave, families tend to assign parental leave to mothers, thereby reinforcing mothers’ secondary status at work and fathers’ secondary status at home. By contrast, when Quebec increased parental leave benefits and established a five-week quota for fathers in 2006, men’s take-up rates increased by 250% and the duration of their leaves by 150%. Men who take parental leave are more confident and involved fathers even years after they return to work, which is good for their own health and well-being as well as their kids’, and also good for their relationships. In the UK, Sweden, and the Netherlands, couples in which fathers are more involved in childcare have a lower rate of divorce than couples where the man is less involved. A larger issue facing dads in particular and men in general is “the masculine mystique.” While women have made real progress overcoming the feminine mystique, men are still much more susceptible to the pressure to “be a man.” Studies of middle schoolers show that modern girls now feel free to engage in all the activities formerly reserved for boys, but when boys express interest in activities formerly associated with girls, they are shamed and bullied. The masculine mystique makes boys think it’s unmanly to study hard, and helps explain why men are less likely than women to think a college degree is needed to get ahead. Recent studies show that the masculine mystique is a particular problem at work for dads who want to be involved fathers. Men who take an active role in child care and housework at home are more likely than other men to be harassed at work and they face a greater risk of being demoted or downsized. But the answer is not to lie about your family involvement, as many men do, claiming a meeting or doctor’s appointment when actually you have to pick your kid up, but to fight to make paternal involvement a norm at work. That means demanding paternity leave and flextime and supporting fellow workers who want to take leave – or maybe even shaming them if they don’t. And women have a role here too. We have to make sure we don’t treat our male partners as unskilled assistants or “helpers” at home. We have to share parental authority and expertise with them. What budget saving tips do you have for men looking to get fit and be healthy? Running with your kid in a stroller is less expensive than paying for a gym, and teaching your kids to cook will increase your own knowledge of nutrition. How can young fathers find the balance between career and family? Here’s where it really does take a village to help a dad raise a child. Men have to express their desire for family-friendly accommodations openly, support coworkers in doing so, and support candidates who will back family-friendly work policies and social programs. It's not just leave that is needed -- it's policies that help over the long haul, such as flex-time options, government support for high-quality, affordable childcare, etc. What would a local public health agenda focused on men look like? Just as adherence to “the feminine mystique” created depression and other mental health problems for women, the masculine mystique is a threat to men’s mental and physical well-being. It shuts off avenues to intimacy, making men reliant on their female partner for social contacts and emotional interactions. It encourages risky and unhealthy behaviors. And it prevents men from fully bonding with their children as caretaking, nurturing parents, not just “fun guys.” Lots of studies show that such bonding is a crucial component of late life well-being. On the positive side, over the past 20 years we have seen a sharp decrease in the health gap between married and single men’s health. We think this is because single men are taking more responsibility for feeding themselves healthily, making doctors’ appointments, and building social ties with friends, rather than waiting until they get married when their wife would traditionally take care of these matters. Scott Tobias Assistant Professor of Human Development & Family Studies at Kent State University at Stark What are the biggest issues facing working dads today? Working fathers today are faced with a variety of issues, perhaps the biggest centers on the work / home balance. Fathers today are increasingly more engaged with their children, but many fathers still question whether or not they spend enough time with their kids each day. While fathers today spent more time caring for their children and engaging in housework than in the past, they still lag behind mothers (in two parent households) in these regards. Finally, while fathers have made great progress in being as active and engaged as mothers (who have traditionally been the primary caretaker), there is still work to be done in helping those fathers with adequate social support from other fathers, the community, and modern society. How can young fathers find the balance between career and family? This is the big question for all parents. For young fathers, this may seem like an extremely difficult choice between fulfilling a traditional breadwinner role in the family and consciously deciding to spend time away from that role to be with their family, potentially limiting opportunities that those without children may have. Fathers in this situation need support from both their family and their employers in order to make informed decisions about how to achieve a positive and stable work / home balance. Support from an employer is critical and should be encouraged, but is not guaranteed beyond complying with federal law. Unfortunately, federal legislation supporting parents hasn't kept pace with research-based recommendations and how these recommendations can strengthen families. For instance, the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was a step in the right direction, but, by law, is an unpaid work leave. Fathers may not have the option to take an unpaid leave from work if they are supporting the family financially, limiting the amount of time that he can devote to the new role of being a dad. Additional support from employers and decisions which are made in consultation with the family are extremely important in helping to establish this balance. What would a local public health agenda focused on men look like? A public health agenda focused on men would include preventative family life education (FLE), social support from local human services organizations, and opportunities for fathers to be engaged with their children and other families / fathers in the community. Combining these three approaches would allow for fathers to learn about topics pertinent to being a dad (such as effective parenting techniques, co-parenting with your spouse / partner, or tackling the work/life balance). Support from local agencies which already support families, provides a logical base for these outreach efforts, and by pairing them with activities that include both the father and child(ren), a system emerges where fathers can spend time with their children in shared activities while also learning how to be a more effective parent. Bill Driscoll The New England District President of Accountemps, a divison of Robert Half International, Inc. What are the biggest issues facing working dads today? Achieving work-life balance. Like any goal, achieving work-life balance needs to have a plan and be tracked. Schedule family time during evenings and weekends, use your vacation days to spend additional time with loved ones and find a way to measure your progress. If you feel you are logging too many hours at work and not enough on family needs, talk to your manager about changes you can make. Inflexible hours. If you are tied to the office for long hours, consider having a discussion with your manager about having a more flexible schedule. If you frequently work remotely, make sure to set boundaries. Technology makes it simple to be accessible at all times. If you set aside family time, make sure it’s actually used to spend time with them rather than checking email or doing busy work. How can young fathers find the balance between career and family? Just like you would set aside office hours to work, set aside family hours for personal commitments. Depending on your role, you may be required to check in with the office after hours. If this is the case, set a limit for how much time you’ll devote to work during family time. Prioritize tasks and plan your day to maximize productivity. Setting daily goals and scheduling your time wisely can help you leave the office at a reasonable hour, giving you more time for family or other interests. Don’t overextend yourself at work; if you need extra help to complete tasks, have a discussion with your manager on how to manage your workload. Be open with your manager and colleagues about your personal commitments. For example, if you choose to coach your child’s sports team, let your team know you won’t be reachable during that time.

Methodology

To determine the best and worst states for working dads, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across four key dimensions: 1) Economic & Social Well-Being, 2) Work-Life Balance, 3) Child Care and 4) Health.

We evaluated those dimensions using 22 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for working dads.

We then calculated the total score for each state and the District based on its weighted average across all metrics and used the resulting scores to construct our final ranking.

Economic & Social Well-Being – Total Points: 30

• Median Family Income (Adjusted for Cost of Living): Full Weight (~7.50 Points)Note: “Family” refers to those with kids aged 0 to 17 and in which the father is present.
• Unemployment Rate for Dads with Kids Aged 0 to 17: Full Weight (~7.50 Points)
• Share of Kids Aged 0 to 17 (with Dad Present) Living in Poverty: Full Weight (~7.50 Points)
• Averaged Freshman Graduation Rate for Men: Full Weight (~7.50 Points)Note: This metric measures the percentage of male high school students who graduated on time.

Work-Life Balance – Total Points: 30

• Parental-Leave Policy Score: Double Weight (~15.00 Points)
• Average Length of Work Day (in Hours) for Males: Full Weight (~7.50 Points)
• Average Commute Time for Men: Full Weight (~7.50 Points)

Child Care – Total Points: 30

• Day-Care Quality Score: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
• Child-Care Costs (Adjusted for Median Family Income): Full Weight (~5.00 Points)Note: “Family” refers to those with kids aged 0 to 17 and in which the father is present.
• Pediatricians per Capita: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
• Quality of State School System: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s States with the Best & Worst School Systems ranking.

Health – Total Points: 10

• Male Uninsured Rate: Full Weight (~0.83 Point)
• Men’s Life Expectancy: Double Weight (~1.67 Points)
• Deaths Due to Heart Disease per 100,000 Men: Full Weight (~0.83 Point)
• Colorectal Cancer Cases per 100,000 Men: Full Weight (~0.83 Point)
• Prostate Cancer Cases per 100,000 Men: Full Weight (~0.83 Point)
• Urologists per 100,000 Men: Full Weight (~0.83 Point)
• Suicides per 100,000 Men: Full Weight (~0.83 Point)
• Male Mental Health: Full Weight (~0.83 Point)
• Share of Men in Good or Better Health: Full Weight (~0.83 Point)Note: This metric measures the percentage of men who reported having good or better health as part of a public health survey, data for which are collected and maintained by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
• Share of Physically Active Men: Full Weight (~0.83 Point)Note: This metric measures the percentage of men who reported engaging in adequate or any physical activity as part of a public health survey, data for which are collected and maintained by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
• Unaffordability of Doctor’s Visits: Full Weight (~0.83 Point)Note: This metric measures the percentage of men who could not afford to visit a doctor in the past 12 months due to unaffordable costs.

 

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Council for Community and Economic Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Education Statistics, National Partnership for Women & Families, American Urological Association, Social Science Research Council, Child Care Aware of America and WalletHub research.

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