【MotherKnowsBest?OncewhilebeingpreparedforatelevisioninterviewIwaschattingwiththehostaboutstay-at-homefathers.Imadethepointthatonereasonwe’reseeingmorestay-at-homedadsmaybethatit’snolongeragiven(aknownfact】

　　MotherKnowsBest?

　　OncewhilebeingpreparedforatelevisioninterviewIwaschattingwiththehostaboutstay-at-homefathers.Imadethepointthatonereasonwe’reseeingmorestay-at-homedadsmaybethatit’snolongeragiven(aknownfact)thatamanmakesmoremoneythanhiswife.Manyfamiliesnowtakeearningpowerintoaccountwhendecidingwhichparentwillstayhome.

　　Atthatpointoneofthemalecrewmemberscommentedalmosttohimselfbutloudenoughformybenefits“Itshouldbethebetterparentwhostaysathome”.Alotofguyssaythingslikethat.

　　Iwasastay-at-homefatherforeightyearssowhathesaidmademeexcited.Itimpliedthatourfamily’schoicecouldonlyhavebeencorrectifIwasa“better”parentthanmywife.

　　Ithinkmenshootthemselvesinthefootwiththiskindofthinking.IsupposeanargumentcouldhavebeenmadethatwhenIbeganstayinghomemywifewasthe“better”parent:shehadspentmoretimewithoursoncouldreadhimbetterandcalmhimmorequickly.Andgivenachoicehe’dhavepickedheroverme.ButasshewasthemoreemployableonemywifewentouttoworkandIlookedafterourson.

　　Knowwhat?Icaughtup.BecauseoftheincreasedtimeIspentwithhimIsoonknewhimwellunderstoodwhatheneededandcouldlookafterhimmoreorlessasmywifecould. Actuallytheexperiencehelpedmeunlockoneoftheworld’sgreatsecrets:Womenaregoodatlookingafterthechildrenbecausetheydoit.It’snotbecauseofanybornfemalegiftoramother’sinstinct－whichIthinkismostlylearnedanyway.It’sbecausetheyputinthetimeandattentionrequiredtobecomegoodatthejob.

　　Womenobviouslygetabiologicalheadstartfromgivingbirthandnursingbutoverthelongtermexperienceismoreimportant.WhenIgottheexperiencemyselfIwasgoodtoo.Asgood?Idon’tknow.Whocares?Childrenarenotmadeofglass.OtherpeoplearecapableoflookingafterthembesidesMom.

　　64.Whichofthefollowingdoesthefirstparagraphimply?

　　A.Menarenolongergiventhechancetostayathomeastheyusedto.

　　B.Insomefamiliesthewivesareearningmorethantheirhusbands.

　　C.TheauthoristellingthereadersthatheworksintheTVstation.

　　D.Therearemorestay-at-homefathersthanstay-at-homemothers.

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