Well stated. Having been our son's primary caretaker for his first & third years I came to realize that women (& society in general) are still ambivalent about men caring for infants. A man out in public with an infant draws conversation, compliments, & also subtlety-phrased questions aimed at ensuring he didn't steal the baby from a window sill like a home-baked pie.

I think women often have a harder time relinquishing authority over how the little one is cared for, than doing the actual work. But the two go hand in hand. Dad gives you a break by taking baby to his well-baby exam, but will he ask the same questions you would, or express the same concerns?

My wife & I, normally in agreement in most areas, could never quite agree over who was in charge of the baby. For the most part, I felt as though I was simply carrying out orders. Lisa's perception was obviously different..