Mack Wilds Doesn't Take Parenting Lightly...

The #girldad says fatherhood is an active role—from being an ally to changing diapers.

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Mother’s and Father’s Day aren’t the only celebrations that acknowledge how hard parenthood can be these days and the small shifts that could benefit parents everywhere.Family Day on September 23 offers a chance to reflect on the strength of the modern-day village and consider what else needs to be done to support the next generation of parents.Fatherhood, in particular, could use a second look. After all, Gen Z forces us to re-examine gender roles and challenge toxic masculinity. Dads play an integral role in changing the narrative about child-rearing and gendered household responsibilities but, for many years, researchers didn’t know exactly how.A University of Colorado study tested “whether stereotypes of men can be shifted through leveraging their social role as fathers.” The research found that “increasing the tie between men’s social role as fathers should help to redefine the stereotype of men and conceptions of masculinity…potentially freeing even those who are not fathers from the strictures of current societal definitions of manhood. Such an outcome would seemingly be a win all around.” But what does that look like in practice?I sat down to chat with Swagger, 90210, and The Wire star Tristan "Mack" Wilds to talk about his promotion of Pampers Diaper Stash, and couldn’t help but ask his take. The married dad of two young girls admitted that parenting roles, especially for cis-gendered men, are shifting. “I think there are old, antiquated thought processes when it comes to being a dad. The dad comes home from work, sits on his recliner couch, and gets the big piece of chicken. But no, modern dads are now very, very active in the household,” he offers. Rather than accepting a backseat role in a baby’s birth and early childhood, Wilds models new possibilities—on- and off-screen. In one snippet for Pampers, Wilds’ character even hosts a diaper party with all of his friends. Like a bachelor party for new fatherhood, the celebration challenged the gender norms of women-centric parties and also offered a model of how men can rally around each other during this time of stress and new beginnings.“I think that this is something now that we're starting to see and it's a beautiful thing,” he adds. “You know, we [dads] could be celebrated as well. I think that's another thing that men have to kind of get used to—just being celebrated or understanding how to be celebrated… I think it's something new. I think it's something dope. I think it's necessary to showcase how involved our new modern dads are in the household.” But he admits that breaking these old paradigms with perspectives that were once taboo is no easy feat.“When me and my wife had our first child, at first, we were just trying to figure it out. We had an amazing village between my side of the family: my mom, my sisters, my dad, etc. And my wife's side of the family: her mom, her dad, her siblings. We all kind of came together and really banded around the children,” says Wilds, admitting he’s been lucky to have familial support near and far. For those who don’t have that village, it can be hard to ask for help or even to know what to ask for. This is especially true for first-time parents who might underestimate their needs or costs.“Me and my wife, we were literally just talking about this right before we came out to Los Angeles. We were in the garage, sitting, looking at this double stroller that we got. I think we used it maybe once or twice. And the two times that we actually used it, my oldest daughter’s legs were a little long. And we're like, ‘eh, we don't like that.’And the youngest daughter is sitting up a little too high and she's not comfortable in it. And it was a gift…I just looked at her and I was like, ‘We should have got diapers,’” he laughed. “You never have enough diapers. You can try as much as you want. And I promise you, there is going to be a time where you have to wake up in the middle of the night and figure out ‘How am I gonna change this baby?’” That’s why he said he really understood the Pampers Diaper Stash model that lets people chip in on diapers that can be used not just for newborns, but throughout a child’s pre-potty years. Moving around for work and having kids that aren’t cookie-cutter size can make even the best-intentioned gifts a total waste of money. But such models of supporting parents in ways that they can easily customize can really help defray those high new baby costs and increase long-term resilience for new parents—even months and years down the line. Diapers aren’t the only cause close to Wilds’ heart. He has also used his social media platform to highlight Black maternal and child health and his wife’s accomplishments promoting education and literacy while juggling motherhood, too.“Parenthood shouldn't be taken lightly,” he reiterates, and there are many ways to transform the narratives around responsibility sharing, support, and work-life harmony. Changing the norm of how husbands, fathers, and even #girldads are supposed to behave, young dads like Wilds offer He For She allyship and equitable participation models that are worth celebrating on Family Day. Seemingly small and individual shifts at the household level can change the face of parenting expectations for moms and dads around the globe. For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Parents.

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