Posted by lindes on November 27, 2003 at 14:01:28:
In Reply to: The real deal with paternity leave posted by The Family Guy on November 20, 2003 at 23:01:40:
: Taking paternity leave for my second child was one of the best things I've ever done hands down (I took about 3 days off when the first was born). I got out of the work rat-race and into the rhythm of home life (for the first time in my case). It was also one of the scariest things I've done -- both in terms of the home challenge and leaving work for an extended period of time. There was not a lot of support in my office for this. I was told things like, "nobody's ever done this before, " and "are you sure you want to take off this much time?" I had to haggle. And when it was done, I wondered how things would be when I got back. Would I be marginalized? Would I lose status, be pegged as unreliable, or a flake? I was worried.
: Now, a couple of years down the road, I can see that no damage was done at all. I came back to work and within a week it was as though I'd never left. No retribution, no loss of status. Having been allowed to go (despite the initial haggling), I was a happy and grateful employee -- with an added measure of loyalty to my workplace. And, curiously enough, after I took paternity leave, others began to also. No longer was it such an extraordinary thing. Some took longer leave than I did! But I know that for some folks, especially where employers have no kids and are "married" to their work, paternity leave can be a tough sell. All I can say is, "just do it!" The more fathers jump on this particular bandwagon, the easier it will be for all -- and everyone will be better off.
Is your partner a full-time mother?