US fathers deserve paternity leave
The first step in encouraging fatherhood in a child’s development is to expand longer paternity leave for fathers. Current policies such as the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) limit the bonding time a father has with his child. Bonding between a child and parents begins with birth. Fathers, just like mothers, have the desire to nurture and bond with their children; however, time is not always on their side. Bonding and nurturing requires a constant and consistent amount of contact. Under FMLA, both parents are entitled up to 12 work weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period. However, 12 weeks is not enough time for adequate bonding to take place between parent and newborn. Other countries offer longer family leave policies to encourage and support bonding between child and parents.
France offers a paid paternity leave, which the United States FMLA does not. In Germany, fathers are able to take a period of unpaid parental leave, or they can switch to part-time work. The unpaid leave in Germany is available to either parent for a period of up to three years. Germany also offers up to a one-year leave with the permission of the employer before the child’s eighth birthday. Sweden offers a paid paternity leave and a parental leave to fathers.
Would the United States even consider these ideas, or is the idea of allowing parents to take months or years off too unrealistic?
If the FMLA can be expanded to include longer paternity leave for fathers, it can be advantageous for the father, child, couple and society. The increased duration of paternity leave will give fathers bonding time with the newborn child at a time when parent-child bonding is beneficial for the child’s development. With the father being able to spend more time in the home for those crucial months of the child’s growth and development, the onus of child rearing will not be placed solely on the mother. This can also help relieve the stress put on mothers including the actual pregnancy, the process of giving birth and the demands of raising a newborn.
Miriam Adesina, Cynthia Iniguez, Larry Montes, Lauren Bachman and Marleny Rosales are graduate social work students at CSULB.