THE CHANGING ROLE OF FATHERS IN THE FAMILY

Recently, declining fertility rates and factors that may influence this trend have been debated on the academic field. One of the modern topics that could change the mindset of reproductive behavior is a sufficient involvement of fathers in child care. On the one hand, it affects the qualitative growth of the child. On the other hand, it could motivate women who postpone parenthood due to a working career to start reproduction. Involving fathers in childcare can enable mothers to return to work sooner after maternity and parental leave. Neverthless, it is seldom possible to encounter a situation where the father is on parental leave. This is mostly due to insufficient wage compensation for men caused by the difference between men's and women's wages. Specific figures show the contrast between the number of men and women receiving parental allowance and the impact of childcare on their working lives.