We’ve heard more than one SAHD’s story about being left out of the conversation while at the local park amongst a group of SAHMs.  And for a dad to get invited to a SAHMs’ playgroup – that’s even less likely to happen.  It’s hard to say if this is the norm, but it happens.

And, it’s unfortunate and unavoidable.

But when the topic is childcare, and a company purposely creates a moms-only club without a dad counterpart?

That’s blatant sexism.  The featured ad – found in a parents magazine, natch – recently caught our eye.  It doesn’t even bother relinquishing dad to the assistant role, it downright ignores him.

Over at mylicon.com, it only gets worse, where it offers Mylicon Moms, yet no similar club for dads.  Read the language on this page; look how Mylicon completely ignores fathers and makes them feel like outsiders:

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How can a dad feel like one with this kind of treatment?  And all this, from a company that claims to offer an “unparalleled experience for consumers.”

Really?  Dads are consumers, and “unparalleled” means “having no equal.”  Sadly, Mylicon has equals, but for all the wrong reasons – among companies who continue to disregard dad as an equal parent.

It’s another example of exclusionary marketing that screams of old fashioned ignorance and chauvinism, as if dads can’t, don’t, or won’t handle basic family health care.

Mylicon, please do what is right, and include dad as part of your marketing mission – because dads who know, know there’s other options for painful gas.