A look at the difference between mother and father
Mother and father are the words that refer to parents. When you speak of parents the general idea is that you are talking about a woman and a man – a mother and a father. They are also used separately because usually the mother and the father perform different roles in a family. The role of the father and mother in the family is quite different now that is was only a few decades ago.
Traditional role of the father
It was traditional to think of the father as being the head of the family. He was the one who was considered to be the breadwinner – the one whose job it was to make sure that the family had what it needed. He earned the income that was needed to purchase food and clothing and to pay the bills.
The father was the educator of the family and made sure that the children learned what they needed in order to succeed in life. He was also the disciplinarian in the household and was seen as a harsher person than the mother. However, the father was also seen as the protector of both the children and their mother.
Traditional role of the mother
The mother was the home maker – the one who stayed home and looked after the children, did housework and prepared the meals. It was her job to makes sure that the children were clean and fed and that they were healthy.
The mother was associated with the softer and more loving side of the family. It was she who showered the family with love and attention, solved the problems and soothed hurt feelings. This love is essential in the development of a child.
Changing roles of the father and the mother
The traditional views of the father and mother in a family no longer exist and are rarely seen in the modern family. Both parents work and share equally in the responsibilities of bringing up the children, looking after the home and preparing the meals. There are some families where there are two mothers or two fathers in a same sex marriage.