Random House Websters College Dictionary defines “preside”

When I was single, my male counterparts in my student ward were repeatedly admonished to prepare to preside over their future homes. Such speeches troubled me.  What did that mean I was preparing for?  To step down as president of my own life and be demoted to a less responsible role?

I investigated the matter by doing a search of the term preside in the home at lds.org.  I found some scary results indeed and other less offensive articles that emphasized the equality of husband and wife.  I didn’t know what to make of this until I reorganized my results chronologically and saw that preside was a rapidly evolving term.

In my ward over the last few months, there’s been a noticeable push from the bishop and stake president to encourage the fathers in our ward to step up and take a more proactive role with their kids. Apparently there’s been a sense that too often the mothers bear the burden during Sacrament meeting of quieting small kids, taking them out to the foyer,  etc.

I personally haven’t noticed any particular decline in men’s involvement with their children in my ward. In fact, I often see a good number of dads, as wells as moms, entertaining their babies in the hallways and foyers. Nevertheless, I think it’s a good and healthy thing for men to be encouraged to take highly active roles with their kids. As a feminist, I’m uncomfortable with the way the Proclamation assigns women the primary task of nurturing kids, so I love it when these gendered realms are blurred.