Paternity Leave

RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES - Father's Don't Get Paid Paternity Time!

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/07/23/study-many-dads-dont-get-paternity-leave/

NO KIDDING!  I can't believe this is NEWS!  And you know what, during my maternity leaves, I worked for a small business, and I had to PIECE together my maternity leave.  In fact, because it was a small business (less than five employees), I didn't use vacation the year I was pregnant or the year before, and that was my paid maternity leave.  And then instead of taking my bonus, I used that for some additional time off. 

Adam at the time of our son's birth, took one week of vacation time.  That was it.  Yup.  He worked for a smallish start up (100 or so employees), and they didn't offer paid paternity.  At the time of our daughter's birth, was working for a huge company, that offered a FOUR WEEK PAID PATERNITY leave, and we used it!  And it could be used NON CONSECUTIVELY.  So, he took one week off as vacation for the week of the birth, and then once we exhausted my maternity leave (of my "vacation") he then spent four weeks at home. . .  bonding with the kids.  Our son wasn't in full time daycare at the time, so twice a week, he had BOTH kids. 

I will admit, I did not have him cook dinner or do the things that I did, but I was grateful that he was bonding with our kids.  What he did during the hours I was at work . . . . he decided.  He did the diaper changes, the meals, and if he did a load of laundry - GREAT!  But, we also knew that not everyone got this opportunity.  The opportunity of what life is like as a stay at home parent. . . . . a stay at home parent of a infant girl who was not as healthy as we expected.  He watched her like a hawk for any potential seizures, and of course he had to clean up after an "eruption" caused by her reflux.  Our little baby girl generated ALOT of laundry those early months, and he understood during his leave why we had so much laundry EVERY DAY.

I am really happy that Adam had this opportunity, and I wish more companies offered this benefit, because it benefits the family, and the company.  Adam, for four weeks, did not have to work at his job and work at home.  He didn't have to do the 60 minute commute on four hours of sleep for four weeks.  I am sure his body appreciate that.

But right now most dads in this country don't have this opportunity.

What do we have to do in order to change it from this headline to Father's Get Paid Paternity Time and we chastise the companies that DON'T offer this perk.