In keeping with Father’s Day this past weekend, many of us probably showed thanks to the many hard-working dads out there. In fact, a WalletHub report said that nearly 93 percent of dads with young kids are working today.
The diligent father figures try their best to balance both their careers and family life, but in Texas, dads may not have as good economic opportunities and quality of life as other states.
According to the personal-finance website’s report, “2018’s Best & Worst States for Working Dads,” Texas ranks in the bottom 15 out of 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
WalletHub looked at 20 key indicators of friendliness toward working dads.
Some of the areas where Texas ranked low were in the male health category. Texas ranked last in highest male uninsured rate at 51st, 32nd for physically active men, and 33rd for male life expectancy.
Additionally, the average work day in hours seems to be longer in Texas as it tied for last place at 46th with Alaska, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota and Louisiana. Texas also ranked 46th for kids living in poverty (with a dad present).
As a co-owner of a small family business, Mel Woods of Thatcher, a natural home goods store in Buda, said she and her husband, Jordan, are constantly trying to balance home and work life.
Mel said when her husband started a new job he made sure to be honest up front and set boundaries for his work life. He told his new employer that he has three kids and flexibility was one of the most important things to him so that he can be available for his family.
“A lot of times it’s about working to change the culture, saying, ‘I’m going to leave at five and turn my phone off, and after 5 it’s family time.’ And trying not to let those boundaries cross,” Woods said.
Although she lamented that with, owning a family business, sometimes those lines do cross, but she says the intention of setting the boundaries is important.
Jay Heinrich, Chairman of the Board of the Buda Area Chamber of Commerce and the Youth and Family Program Director at the Hays Communities YMCA, thinks it is important to find personal time. Therefor he wakes up early to make time for himself before the day starts. “I love being a dad and I love doing what I do, but it’s a lot of balancing,” Heinrich said.
In order to help dads balance their dual role as parent and provider, WalletHub compared the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia across 20 key indicators of friendliness toward working dads. The data set ranges from average length of work day for males to child-care costs to share of men in good or better health.
Life as a Working Dad in Texas
(1=Best; 25=Avg.):
33rd Male Life Expectancy
46th % of Kids Younger than 18 with Dad Present Living in Poverty
1st Unemployment Rate for Dads with Kids Younger than 18
51st Male Uninsured Rate
46th Avg. Length of Work Day (in Hours) for Males
32nd % of Physically Active Men
8th Child-Care Costs (Adjusted for Median Family* Income)
3rd Day-Care Quality
*Refers to families with kids aged 0 to 17 and in which the father is present
For the full report, please visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-states-for-working-dads/13458/
