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阅读理解
Fifty years ago, the stereotypical(老套的)father was a distant, strict figure whose value lay squarely in the size of his pay packet．
But a new survey published yesterday Father's Day reveals 21st-Century Dad wants a closer relationship with his children, and is even prepared to put his career on hold so he can play with his kids．
“As soon as my first child was born, I moved jobs to one that offered flexi-time(弹性上班)rather than a high salary or great promotion prospects,” said Stephen Derrick, a community development worker in Leeds, northern England．
“My father walked away from his role as a caring father and I'm having to create that role for myself,” he added．“It's harder than I thought but I'm determined to give my children a different experience of fatherhood to my one．”
A study of 12,000 new fathers and 9,200 new mothers by the UK's Equal Opportunities Commission found eight out of 10 fathers would take three months' leave from work after the birth of their child, if it was possible．
Despite enormous shifts in attitude, however, new fathers admitted barriers(障碍)still stop them escaping work to spend time with their children．
“The dilemma(进退两难)of the modern father is how to square up the pressure of work and the quality of the time they spend with their children,” said Derrick．
“Even with the career sacrifices I've made, I'm still struggling to achieve that balance．”
Whatever the situation of 21st-Century Dad, however, the overwhelming message is that today's fathers are more closely involved in their children's lives than ever before, with 87 per cent saying they felt as confident when caring for their baby as their partner．
“My role is very much the same as my wife's．It's sharing the childcare and ensuring our son is brought up in a safe and loving environment,” said Jon Bernstein, a multimedia editor for a large city firm in London．
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