The “Dad Shift” That Wasn’t: Why COVID-19 Didn’t Permanently Change Fatherhood
During the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns, a hopeful narrative emerged: that the sudden shift to home-based life would permanently redefine fatherhood. For many, it seemed that dads were finally stepping into the daily, intimate and often mundane tasks of child-rearing, creating a more equitable balance of caregiving in dual-parent families. However, new research suggests that this “new vision” of fathering was largely temporary.
A long-term study from the University of Notre Dame reveals that for the vast majority of fathers, the behavioral changes seen during the pandemic did not persist once life returned to normal. While the lockdowns provided a glimpse of what shared caregiving could look like, structural barriers—particularly employment demands—continue to dictate how much fathers actually participate at home.
The Research: A 15-Year Perspective on Fatherhood
To understand whether pandemic-era changes had any lasting impact, Lee Gettler, a professor of anthropology and chair of the anthropology department at the University of Notre Dame, and co-author Sarah Hoegler Dennis, a postdoctoral research associate, analyzed 15 years of longitudinal data. The team focused on a major metropolitan area in Cebu, Philippines, following a sample of men who were approximately 25 years old at the start of the study.
The Philippines served as a critical testing ground because the country implemented some of the world’s longest and strictest government-mandated quarantine guidelines. By comparing caregiving data from before the pandemic (collected in 2009 and 2014) with data from after the pandemic (2022-23), the researchers could isolate the long-term effects of stay-at-home orders.
The study specifically tracked three areas of involvement:
- Routine, hands-on care: Daily essentials for babies and young children.
- Recreational play: Engaging in activities and play with children.
- Educational caregiving: Assisting with school-related tasks.
The Findings: A Return to the Status Quo
Despite the initial hope that lockdowns would catalyze a permanent shift in parenting dynamics, the research found that fathering behaviors largely remained unchanged when comparing pre-COVID levels to the post-pandemic period. While many dads spent more time with their children during the lockdowns, those habits didn’t stick.
“What we found is that COVID—and the time dads spent at home with their children during that period—did not change fathering in any lasting way,” says Gettler. “As soon as life gets back to normal, we see that dads are continuing to do the same thing they were doing before COVID.”
Gettler notes that initial reports of a “fatherhood revolution” often lacked a wider perspective on the economic realities facing men, including workplace precarity and economic inequality, which often override the desire to maintain a more active caregiving role.
The Employment Exception
There was one significant exception to this trend. The researchers discovered a lasting change in fathers who transitioned from being employed to being either unemployed or underemployed due to the pandemic. For this specific group, involvement in educational caregiving—such as helping children with homework and schoolwork—shot up and remained high.
This finding underscores a critical point: the primary predictor of how much care a father provides is his employment status. The increase in involvement wasn’t necessarily a shift in mindset or “habit,” but rather a result of having the actual time available to provide that care.
Breaking the Cycle: The Need for Structural Change
The study concludes that wanting to be an involved father is not enough; structural support is required to make that involvement sustainable. Gettler argues that society must move away from a system where a father only has the opportunity to be present for his children if he is unemployed.
To foster a permanent shift in fatherhood norms, the research suggests several workplace policy changes:
- Paid Paternity Leave: Encouraging fathers to take an active role from the start.
- Remote Work Flexibility: Allowing dads to balance professional duties with home life.
- Flexible Working Hours: Reducing the rigid constraints that often prevent fathers from participating in daily caregiving.
Key Takeaways
- No Large-Scale Shift: COVID-19 lockdowns did not lead to a permanent, widespread increase in fathering behaviors across the board.
- Employment is Key: A father’s employment status remains the strongest predictor of his level of caregiving.
- Educational Care Spike: Only fathers who became unemployed or underemployed showed a lasting increase in helping children with schoolwork.
- Policy Over Habit: Lasting change requires structural workplace shifts, such as paid paternity leave and flexible scheduling, rather than just individual behavioral changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did fathers spend more time with children during the pandemic?
Yes, many dads participated more in daily child-rearing during the lockdown periods, but the research shows these changes generally did not persist after the pandemic ended.
Why didn’t the changes in fathering last?
The researchers suggest that workplace demands and economic realities pushed fathers back into their pre-pandemic roles. Without structural changes to how work is organized, the “ideal vision” of shared caregiving is difficult to maintain.
What is the most effective way to encourage more involved fatherhood?
According to the study, policy changes—such as widespread flexibility in working from home and paid paternity leave—are essential to support permanent shifts in expectations and norms for men as caregivers.
Where was this study conducted?
The study utilized 15 years of longitudinal data from fathers in a major metropolitan area in Cebu, Philippines, a region that experienced some of the world’s strictest lockdowns.