| > Perhaps it is just the life altering effect of raising children or maybe is biological as well. If not biological, where else would this effect manifest? Arguably it could be things like "become parent -> become poor -> become stressed". But suppose we say they're rich, and so they don't get stressed via that path. So maybe we can't say that parenting causes stress. (Okay, it absolutely does but bare with me.) Suppose they're really rich, and they pay for night nannies, then suddenly you're a parent and not even tired. So now we can't say parenting causes tiredness. Perhaps there are some things that "intrinsically" switch on in the father's brain, detached from the rest of the world? If so, are we believe that a one-night stand, that leads to a baby, unbeknownst to the father, results in biological changes 9 months later? My point is, the effects are all predictably biological adaptation in response to the environment, in the same way that if I go to the gym, I will become fitter. The article presents it as unexpected or mystical. What else are they expecting happens with big life changes? (Sorry if it sounds like I'm grouchy, I am tired and my child is not napping when he should be.) |