On Fatherhood In Tough Times

It is hard being a father, even more so in tough economic times. We'll take a look at how men are trying to be better fathers.

Father’s Day was born in second place.

Among holidays the greeting card companies love, Mother’s Day has been around since 1914. Father’s Day didn’t exist until Richard Nixon tacked it on in 1972.

But we’ll take it. Parents, male and female deserve a nod.

But a lot of dads have really been up against it lately. The economic meltdown of recent years has hit men harder.

One in five American men, now unemployed or dropped out of the workforce. It’s tough to be the rock, the steady hand, the dad, when the economy is so fluid.

This hour On Point: changing fatherhood, in tough times.

- Tom Ashbrook

Guests:

Jim Axelrod, author of "In the Long Run: A Father, a Son, and Unintentional Lessons in Happiness." You can find an excerpt of the book here. He is also a national correspondent for CBS News.