More than half of the 2000 parents surveyed perceived positive effects on their family-run since the beginning of the pandemic.
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June 14, 2020
Updated on June 15, 2020 4h33
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Quebec families emerge stronger from the pandemic
Guillaume Mazoyer
The Sun
The majority of fathers and mothers have drawn positive conclusions from their life-parental period of COVID-19. This is what emerges from a survey conducted by the group for the Valorisation of Fatherhood (PVR). Even more so for the parents of the Y generation, who believe mainly to the sustainability of these changes.
The pandemic has not been as negative. More than half of the 2000 parents surveyed perceived positive effects on their family-run since the beginning of the crisis. “This is the biggest surprise, said in an interview to the Sun – Raymond Villeneuve, general manager of the RVP. With the fact to stir the cards and bring families together for a long time, it was anticipated more problems than the advanced. We had under-estimated the positive impact that could have with this situation and the awareness that it could cause.”
The survey was conducted online from may 22 to June 2, with parents of children aged 0 to 17 years. These results are disclosed as part of the semaine Québécoise of Fatherhood, which takes place from 15 to 21 June.
Nearly three-quarters of respondents see a positive change in the time spent with their children. Half of parents find that their relationship with their children is positively modified, with a score a bit higher among those whose children are between the ages of 0 and 5 years old. In 40% of cases, parents feel that their understanding of the needs of their child is found to be enhanced.
Fathers and mothers have answers that are very similar on the recognition, communication, involvement of fathers, or the emotional support. However, the sharing of tasks and the mental load are the two points that exhibit the most significant differences between fathers and mothers. 75 % of men believe that the sharing of tasks is fair, compared to only 50% of women.
This survey offers evidence that the social norm of parenthood in equal measure, the so-called “shared parenthood”, is a value of increasingly strong. “It becomes the model of reference, particularly among the parents of generation Y, 18 to 34 years of age, details of Raymond Villeneuve. During the crisis, one has tasted it, one sees that it is pleasant and that we want to strengthen.”
Among the families who have made learning positive during this period, 2/3 of them believe that change will last. “More families are young, the more this is the case,” he continues. Therefore, we believe that we are witnessing a social change before our eyes, confirmed by a set of vectors.”
For Carl Lacharité, a professor of psychology at UQTR, and a member of the scientific committee that developed the survey, the pandemic has simply served as a catalyst. “The phenomenon was already in motion,” he explains. It is a groundswell that the current situation has pushed even further.”
This finding occurs despite the fact that a little over 20 % of the parents surveyed have considered deal with the psychological distress, stress, or anxiety since the beginning of the confinement. “This does not minimize the families who have been adversely impacted by the crisis, says Raymond Villeneuve. The social inequalities have also played a role and the disadvantaged have been hit hardest.”
Co-parenting
The term of shared parenthood refers to the “team work” of the parents. According to Carl Lacharité, several decades of research show that children need several people to take care of them and that they can co-ordinate. This gives optimal conditions for the development of the child. Co-parenting is a way to name the way in which adults combine their resources to enable children to develop. “It is a great idea, because it is very inclusive,” says Raymond Villeneuve. It includes all forms of family, the couple, separated, or blended.” According to him, this period of containment has been a field of experimentation that has shown to fathers and mothers that another model was possible. “A model in which they could form a better partnership, so that together care for their children,” says the president of the RVP.
The survey’s sponsor, the PVR has a membership of almost 250 organizations in Quebec. He gives himself to the task of enhancing the role of fathers and to promote their importance in the family and in the society for the development of children, in a perspective of equality between the parents.
