Fathers should not be complimented or applauded for simply being a parent, says Paloma Faith

Paloma Faith says parenting is never 50/50.  Source: Lorraine, ITV

Transcript

00:00 I don't like the word co-parent though, because I tell you why,

00:03 because co- implies to me that it's 50/50,

00:07 and I don't believe it ever is unless there are some anomalies.

00:11 And there are men who write to me who are like,

00:14 I don't like the fact you say that.

00:15 And there are definitely some men pulling

00:18 the main bulk of the work.

00:20 But in majority of cases, the kind of unspoken, silent mental

00:25 load that a mother does, and usually time-wise,

00:29 it's not 50/50 either.

00:31 I'm not saying that I don't think that my children's

00:33 father is amazing, but I think it's quite important

00:37 that we actually acknowledge what's actually happening,

00:41 which is that women are doing too much.

00:44 And so I don't use the word co-parent.

00:46 I say, oh, my kids go to their dads a few nights a week,

00:50 and I'm so happy that they do that

00:53 and that they've got a lovely father and great.

00:55 But let's not over-compliment them,

00:58 because they do get that all the time.

01:01 We're always so grateful that he's not

01:03 an awful father abandoner.

01:05 And he shouldn't be.

01:07 Let's not over-applaud them for actually parenting.