Concurring Opinions

I have long lamented the accommodation of maternity leave – not because I think it unnecessary for mothers but because it creates an expectation that mothers (and not fathers/spouses) will stay home with the baby when born or adopted.

Highlighted by digizen

So back to the Commission’s announcement. What it might accomplish if applied to both parents is to encourage them to become equally competent at caring for their newborn at an early enough stage in the parenting relationship to prevent gender inequality in child care in the future. And it sends the message that both parents are crucial to nurturing the child – which is of course true. How will it apply in practice? Does it allow for the possibility that one parent might stay home for the first eight weeks and the other parent for the second eight weeks? Would it allow for both parents to stay home at the same time? Either way, I hope this significantly changes the parental leave landscape in Massachusetts – for the better.

Highlighted by digizen