How Paternity Leave Helps Dads’ Brains Adapt to Parenting

For employers, managers, and leaders.

As decision-makers, you have the power to push for policies that allow all new parents to take parental leave — and the power to initiate the cultural shift necessary to encourage men to take advantage of parental leave entitlements. Take parental leave yourself, tell others about your brain training, and set an... See more

Molly Dickens • How Paternity Leave Helps Dads’ Brains Adapt to Parenting

Important narrative point about how managers and business leaders have the power to influence change through the policies they support at work

Although scheduling some overlap time with your partner is nice for building a family bond, it’s important to use part of your leave to spend time with your baby alone — it’s the best opportunity for brain training. When you’re the only adult at home, you tackle the challenges, so you learn how to solve those daily baby problems.

Molly Dickens • How Paternity Leave Helps Dads’ Brains Adapt to Parenting

Dad brain training is most effective when you’re the solo parent - enhanced paternity leave gives Dads the opportunity to take that without impacting the Mother’s decision re: when to go back to work

The only thing you need for this training program is engaged time with your baby. When you engage, your neural network tweaks itself to respond to your baby more quickly. When your brain responds more quickly the next time your baby needs you, you spend more time engaging with your baby. When you spend more time engaging with your baby, your neural... See more

Molly Dickens • How Paternity Leave Helps Dads’ Brains Adapt to Parenting

Dad brain training only requires you, the infant, and engaged time together. Increased paternity leave provides that

One study by Saxbe and colleagues highlights the potential power of paternity leave in shaping the dad brain. The research teams compared brain scans in first-time fathers in California with those of first-time fathers in Spain. Both groups of fathers showed changes. However, comparing the two countries showed interesting differences. One key... See more

Molly Dickens • How Paternity Leave Helps Dads’ Brains Adapt to Parenting

Difference between Californian and Spanish fathers lead to one explanation: More generous paternity leave in Spain showed more neurological changes to Spanish dads’ brains

One key factor in this research is that the most impactful, neurologically expanding experience is engaged experience. “No one is born with this magic ability to fall into the [parent] role easily. But we need to do the work of fully engaging because that is the thing that’s going to drive the neurobiological changes to give them the tools that... See more

Molly Dickens • How Paternity Leave Helps Dads’ Brains Adapt to Parenting

Engaged experience is what builds the father-infant bond i.e. quality one-on-one time between a father and his infant

This research has led Saxbe and fellow researcher Sofia Cárdenas to emphasize that “fathers are made, not born: Time with infants is a key ingredient in building the fathering brain.”