To the amazing company that granted my husband 8 weeks of paternity leave,
Thank you so much for giving my husband 8 weeks with our family after my daughter was born. Every time I told someone inevitably, “are you kidding me?” or the “that is AMAZING” followed. These exclamations were often followed by questions about where he worked and if they were hiring. And I get it. I had 6 weeks of paid maternity leave by my company’s policy. Yes, that’s right — his leave was technically longer than mine! Do you think you could have a conversation with my boss? (don’t worry, I’m already on it)
Maternity and Paternity Leave in the U.S.
I consider myself lucky to have maternity leave, yet there are millions of Americans who go without. At your company, you grant women 16 weeks of maternity leave! And I am jealous. While I don’t mean to be greedy, we were in Scotland for a while and all parents actually get paid leave, as mandated by the government. I’m constantly comparing our situation to that of the Scottish moms we know and it’s clear they have the better deal. The United States is the only country in the developed world to not offer paid family leave and it’s hard to believe.
Extended paternity leave allowed me to spend precious time with our second baby at the beginning of her life. It also let my hubby bond with our busy two-year-old. Time like this is both irreplaceable and invaluable. This not only gave him more confidence in caring for our kids, but I feel like we work together much more seamlessly than with our first baby (when he only had a week).
It was also fun!
While he was on leave we created a “Family Leave Bucket List.” On the list were things like toddler friendly nature walks, a Father’s Day 5k, and fun day trips like the Boston Museum of Science. While most days were spent at home, figuring out how to be a family of four, we did get to do some adventures! Thank you for allowing us the time and space to do that.
But mostly, I’m grateful that you put your money where your mouth is. This makes work-life balance a real possibility. You have won our loyalty. My husband and I hope he stays with you for a long long time.
Gratefully,
Meaghan
(Working mama of two babies)
