Over the last few years, an unusual parenting trend has emerged across Britain – the ‘tradwife’ movement.
The trend sees women reverting to the traditional roles of housewives, practiced in the fifties and sixties.
Men are seen as holding the power in the relationship, with tradwives encouraged to be submissive to their partner.
But a new study will come as bad news for who people who follow the tradwife movement.
Researchers from the University of Auckland have revealed that both mothers and fathers who think men should have the authority are less responsive parents.
A new study will come as bad news for who people who follow the tradwife movement. Researchers from the University of Auckland have revealed that both mothers and fathers who think men should have the authority are less responsive parents (stock image)
The tradwife trend harks back to 1950s Britain, and is already well established in the US.
The belief behind the movement is that wives should not work.
Rather, they should spend their days cooking, cleaning, wearing modest and feminine dress, and practicing traditional etiquette.
They should also be submissive to their husbands and always put them first.
However, sceptics think that the trend is an example of ‘hostile sexism’.
This is characterised by beliefs that men should hold the power and authority in society.
In their new study, the team set out to understand the link between hostile sexism and parenting attitudes and behaviours.
Ninety-five sets of parents were surveyed about their parenting styles, before they were observed by the researchers while playing with their five-year-old child.
The results revealed that fathers with higher levels of hostile sexism reported less warm and more controlling parenting attitudes.
The team hopes the findings will encourage families to address and challenge hostile attitudes about power dynamics within families (stock image)
The observations also showed that both fathers and mothers with higher hostile sexism showed less ‘responsive parenting’.
Responsive parenting refers to family interactions in which parents are aware of their children’s emotional and physical needs and respond appropriately and consistently, according to the National Physicians Center.
While the reason for this link remains unclear, the researchers have several theories.
‘Accepting fathers’ authority could mean that mothers higher in hostile sexism follow fathers’ lead in directing family interactions, producing less engaged and child-focused parenting,’ said Dr Nickola Overall, lead author of the study.
‘Another possibility is that mothers higher in hostile sexism guard their role as caregiver by restricting fathers’ parental involvement, which detracts from being responsive to their children.’
The team hopes the findings will encourage families to address and challenge hostile attitudes about power dynamics within families.
‘Gender inequality and child well-being are ongoing global challenges, and sexist beliefs about the kinds of roles that are appropriate for men and women contribute to gender inequalities,’ said Dr Overall.
‘The current results emphasize that the harmful effects of sexist attitudes also involves poorer parenting, which has important long-term consequences for children’s well-being and development.’
