"We criticize mothers for closeness. We criticize fathers for distance. How many of us have expected less from our fathers and appreciated what they gave us more? How many of us always let them off the hook?"

Ellen Goodman's quote succinctly resolves social expectations and biases in the functions of moms and fathers. It reviews the contrasting requirements to which each moms and dad is often held and the various types of criticism they encounter. Mothers are typically seen as the main caregivers, and this closeness is frequently under analysis. They may be criticized for either being too involved or not measuring up to an idealized requirement of maternal care. In contrast, dads are often viewed as far-off or less included, their functions historically specified by providing instead of nurturing. This develops a different standard where dads might be praised for using any participation, nevertheless very little. It recommends a social propensity to accept less from dads when it pertains to emotional and nurturing duties and, paradoxically, to value their contributions more because of this lower expectation.

The rhetorical questions Goodman postures invite self-questioning about these ingrained double requirements. By asking the number of us have anticipated less from our daddies and been more grateful for their contributions, Goodman challenges the audience to acknowledge and question their biases. The subsequent concern about letting dads "off the hook" recommends accountability-- or the absence thereof-- for their function in psychological and familial life.

This quote calls for a reevaluation of adult functions and expectations. It motivates a more well balanced view where both moms' and daddies' contributions are valued similarly, and neither go through unfair double standards. Goodman's words urge readers to reassess how social standards may form understandings of parenting, possibly opening possibilities for more equitable participation in family dynamics. In a broader sense, the quote champs a more inclusive understanding of caregiving that transcends conventional gender functions, recognizing the requirement for both moms and dads to share duties equitably and be acknowledged relatively for their efforts.