{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Startup Dad","title":"The Bar for 'Involved Dads' Is Embarrassingly Low | Richard Petts (Dad of 2, Associate Dean at Ball State University)","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":4291,"description":"Richard Petts is a Professor of Sociology and Associate Dean of the College of Sciences and Humanities at Ball State University. He’s also the author of Father Involvement and Gender Equality in the United States, a book that explores how fatherhood is viewed today, why dads still aren’t more involved at home, and what it will take to change that.\nHe’s a husband and father of two kids, ages 13 and 12. Richard’s research has been shaped deeply by his own experience as a dad, including a traumatic month-long NICU stay with his daughter that revealed just how little support exists for fathers during medical crises. We discussed:\nThe new fatherhood ideal: Why dads are expected to be more nurturing than previous generations, but still face a very low bar for what “involved” actually means.\nWhy dads still default to breadwinning: How cultural expectations keep men focused on work first, even when they want to be more present at home.\nThe importance of paternity leave: Why the earliest days of parenting matter so much, and how leave helps dads build competence, confidence, and stronger family bonds.\nWhat startup founders should know about leave: Why paid parental leave needs to be real, supported by culture, and designed so dads actually feel permission to take it.\nMental load and cognitive labor: What happens when fathers share more of the planning, managing, and invisible work that keeps a family running.\nGatekeeping and trust at home: How couples can start small when handing off responsibilities and why delegation is not the same as truly sharing the load.\n\nWhere to find Richard Petts\nLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-j-petts/ \nX: https://x.com/pettsric\nWebsite: https://www.richardpetts.com/ \nWhere to find Adam Fishman\nFishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com \nLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ \nInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ \nX: https://x.com/fishmanaf\n\nIn this episode, we cover:\n(00:00) Welcoming Richard...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/F_yCls74GdKLzmfCUXKoHwqOZKN_mFb5zL7jtAWlzzU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8wYjMx/Yzg1NmIzMjBiZmE4/ZGFiM2ZjMjQ2Yjcy/OTY2OS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}