Man tries to bust ‘daddy daycare’ stereotype in LinkedIn post. What critics said

Matt Nixon with wife Harri (Image credit: LinkedIn)

Project manager Matt Nixon, of West Sussex, UK, describes himself as a "full-time worker and full-time dad". So when he put out a post on LinkedIn about how he has to change nappies in the ladies toilets because the facility is not available in the gents', he gathered a lot of support.

The post garnered over 1,700 likes and Nixon was praised by parents who congratulated him for championing involved fathers. But, not everyone shared the enthusiasm. Some pointed out that he should not congratulate himself because men have been taking care of their children for decades.

Nixon's post on LinkedIn read:

"I don’t do ‘daddy daycare’
I’m not a ‘hands on dad’
And I will never ‘babysit’ my own kids!

I step up and be my own definition of what a modern dad is.

I’m a full time worker and a full time dad.

I’m the one showing up at ‘mum’ and baby sessions, after left finding barely any ‘dad’ ones.

I’m the one changing nappies in the ladies toilets…cos apparently no one installs them in the gents!

I’m the one who’s ‘weird’ for speaking openly about my kids and wanting to promote a positive narrative around family life…

My boys inspire me each and every day…"

Several mothers and fathers thanked Nixon for highlighting the disparity in childcare responsibilities. Tünay Yılmaz-Mekan from Netherlands said, "My son was six when he pointed at a symbol of a baby facility portraying a woman changing a diaper at the door of a ladies room. He asked, 'Why do I always see women doing that, why isn’t there a changing area in the men's room? What would the fathers do? They can’t go into the ladies room?' I realized that children are more fair and pure in their mindsets because they are not yet infected with our social and gender politics." She added, "It was so refreshing reading your post, I kept thinking about my son and hoped he would ask the same questions when he becomes a father one day and stand up like you."

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Leadership coach Max St John from UK commented, "Used to infuriate me when I'd be in the playground and someone (usually a mum or careworker) would look at my son's clothes and say with a wry smile: "Oh, did Daddy dress you today?" and I'd explain, deadpan, that no, he chose his own clothes. Just shows how ingrained that stereotype of dad's as inept and uninvolved, has become. I don't blame the people the people that make these comments as it's the historical inequality in parenting that's led to them. But they're well out of date."

Others, however, pointed out that Nixon should "get over himself" as nappy changing stations or not, there have been men who have been involved fathers for decades. Creative artworker Christian Wilby commented on the LinkedIn post, "I did all of this, and more, 25 years ago. Get over yourself."

Engineering manager Thomas Glenday, who may have been at the same university as Nixon, wrote, "I started doing this 15 years ago when I was at uni with you!" Sally Nolan, a business development director, added, "It’s a shame that in 2021 you have to even shout about being an involved father. It should be standard practice, rather than being the odd one out for being a good father. All credit to you."

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