Without Parental Leave I Might Be Dead

“Taking leave is not normative,” says Richard Petts, a sociologist who specializes in research on parental leave, when explaining the paternity leave statistics that show how few men actually take more than a week of paid leave. He saw why first-hand when he struggled to get time off after the birth of his own child and cobbled together some sick d... See more

Many men also felt that their leave-taking could inspire others to make similar choices. One said that he enjoyed being an example “to friends and family that a successful male can proudly take paternity leave.”

While fathers do not go through the same physical strains as birth mothers (recognizing that some mothers have their children through adoption, surrogacy, etcetera), spending time at home to bond with their child and their partner is critical. Providing a longer paid-leave period, offering more flexibility in the timing of the leave period, or incr... See more