Without Parental Leave I Might Be Dead

Research also finds that paid leave results in parents spending increased time with their infants—not only during the leave period but also after returning to work, up until 3 years of age. This includes mothers spending increased time reading to, talking to, and helping with homework and fathers playing with children for more hours per week.

I would have loved to take more than two weeks off with my kids, but the reality is we just couldn’t afford it. As the main breadwinner, cutting my income down to statutory pay after two weeks would have meant struggling to pay the mortgage. Shared Parental Leave only works if both parents’ employers offer generous pay, which isn’t the case for mos... See more

Paternity leave can level the playing field for working mothers. Many fathers emerged from the experience feeling like “being at home, with a strong presence of mind, allowed me to reduce stress on my wife and for her to return to the workforce earlier.” As one father put it, “It’s not just about getting to know your kids at a crucial age but also ... See more

Joeli Brearley, CEO and founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, comments, “We finally have evidence that boosting paternity leave will reduce the gender pay gap, improve the health of both parents and it will benefit the economy. Paternity leave is not a luxury but a necessity.’’ When fathers and partners take paternity leave, it supports the mother’s re... See more