Parental Leave

When I was pregnant Mr. C and I often discussed the possibility of him taking some parental leave and both agreed it would be a good idea. When Mr. T was born and we spent an unexpected six weeks in hospital it became even more apparent that a paternity lPandora Glass Beads another eave was an ideal situation for our family. Mr. C had saved up all his vacation for the year so that he could take time off when our first baby was born. We had no idea it would all be spent in a hospital and then some. It only felt fair for him to spend some quality time with Mr. T outside of the walls of that hospital.

It didn’t feel like anything out of the ordinary. Yet even in today’s day there is still a small amount of stigma attached to father’s taking time off to be with their families. When we made the decision to share the parental leave some of Mr. C’s friends tried to talk him out of it. They told hiCheap Pandora Australia Sale winter m he didn’t know what he was getting himself into and were very sure he wouldn’t be able to handle it. Recently, on a radio show they were talking about a coworker who was planning on taking parental leave and they began to wonder why. The conversation went on to wonder why men were getting more and more involved in babies and “women’s stuff” as they put it.

Wait a minute! What?

Women’s stuff? Yep that’s what they said.

In Ontario:

New parents have the right to take Parental Leave–unpaid time off work when a baby or child is born or first comes into their care. Birth mothers who took pregnancy leave are entitled to up to 35 weeks’ leave. Birth mothers who do not take pregnancy leave and all other new parents are entitled to up to 37 weeks’ parental leave.

Parental leave is not part of pregnancy leave and so a birth mother may take both pregnancy and parental leave. In addition, the right to a parental leave is independent of the right to pregnancy leave. For example, a birth father could be on parental leave at the same time the birth mother is on either her pregnancy leave or parental leave.
–taken from www.labour.gov.on.ca – pregnancy and parental leave

We are lucky to live in a country that allows this benefit. Very few countries in the world enjoy this right. Why not take advantage?  As a mother who did take advantage let me tell you it’s amazing. If you are planning on going back to work at the end of your leave, how wonderful is it to transition back to work knowing your baby is at home with their daddy? It gives your child a wonderful opportunity to have great bonding time with their dad. Mr. C loved taking our little one to Mother Goose classes, splash pads and parent and tot swimming. Not only did it intensify their bond but it gave Mr. C even more confidence in his ability to father.

Don’t automatically pass up this great opportunity we have. Put some thought into it, consider it, if it’s something that can work for your family why not try sharing your parental leave?