To think working mums get more sympathy than working dads, even when both struggle?

[ZanyTealSwan]

When mothers juggle work and kids, it’s applauded. When fathers do, it’s expected. AIBU to think working dads don’t get anywhere near the same compassion or credit?

Women are expected to work as if they don't have kids and raise kids as if they don't work.

Men are generally enabled and supported to follow their career uninterrupted, usually because they have a wife who does everything else (and works!)

They get praised for taking their kids to the park on the weekend or 'babysitting' while mum has some time to herself, or 'doing bedtime' ...what a great dad he does bedtime!

So I agree with PP the reality for most, not all, is the opposite of what you suggest.

I always say that I'm a mediocre mum, but would be the most amazing dad. They'd probably put me on the cover of a magazine.

That honestly couldn't be further from my experience. Any man who does anything like his share of childcare is praised to the skies and back. And if he should be a single dad, even half time, then he's treated somewhere between a hero and a martyr with people, usually other women (his female relatives, friends and colleagues) running round backwards to support him.
A couple of weeks ago an associate of minecaused huge inconvenience to numerous people by cutting short a meeting, loftily announcing his child had a dental appointment he'd forgotten about so double booked. Cue 'Aw isn't that good to see a man putting his family first! His wife's a lucky women" and so on.

But they don’t juggle. I have two school age children and know many families, and none of the dads juggle anything! They work and a handful do a few school runs here and there.

I don’t think you’ve got this the right way round.

and if they do anything beyond that, like the dentist appointment the previous poster mentioned, they will get Parent of the Year award. Whereas a mum who cuts a work meeting short to do the same, can you imagine?

When my DC were small and I was on a business trip, people were baffled that DH, their dad, who has been parent exactly the same amount of time as me, was able to manage home and children 'all alone'. When I pointed out to male colleagues that their wives are doing exactly the same without anybody worrying how they manage, you could see the brains short-circuiting.