Why Every Father Should Take a Paternity Leave

Recently, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wittily crafted a post on how he plans to take 2 months off and spend time with the new upcoming member of his family. And we were truly ecstatic about his announcement!

The truth is, Zuckerberg is among the few men that are boldly breaking a stigma that’s plighted the modern man for centuries. That is, the fear of emasculation that accompanies taking a paternity leave. In fact, it’s great that Zuckerberg is being vocal about this. Because let’s face it; many men today are dead stuck in the office, working half-heartedly, just waiting for the clock to signal that it’s time to get up and leave. Where are they rushing to? Straight home; simply because they missed gazing into the eyes of their new bundle of joy.

Though we must admit that unlike Zuckerberg, we do not have the luxury of financial comfort thanks to our 9-5 jobs. Despite this, one country has been a stepping stone for paternity leave rights; and it’s Sweden. In fact, fathers in Sweden take more paternity leave than any other country in the world!

Taking a look at the Swedish affair, we bring to light one vital query: Do paternity leaves have any advantages? The answer is a resounding yes. In fact, to get the full picture, here are some reasons why just like us, you need to take that paternity leave as well.

You’ll get to see your baby grow

There’s nothing more beautiful than seeing your baby develop their unique physical traits and in unison, blossom their own unique personality right before your eyes! Okay, maybe the first few days might be rather mundane; getting to see your baby eat, cry and sleep day in day out. But things really start to get amusing 2-3 months down the line! That’s when certain facets of your child’s personality spring into action.

You can switch between child-care with your supportive partner

Maybe you don’t need to burn that extra dough on a nanny after all! You can each request paternity leaves, alternating between 3 months; where your spouse can cover the first three and you can take the latter. That way, you’ll be saving tons of money that would be going to the pockets of a professional nanny service. Perhaps you can even direct some of that cash flow to saving for your baby’s college fund; or even on a light note, decorating his/her room with amazing art!

It can do wonders for your career

Sometimes, taking a break is just what the body, mind, and soul need. You’ve been working the whole year, and maybe this will help you blow off some steam. Maybe it’s not the dream getaway to Cancun that you were hoping for, but it’s a fresh outlook from work all the same! Being in a stress-free environment (okay, there might be the proverbial crying at 3 am from your baby, but that’s pretty manageable) will definitely help you reorganize your work strategy and come back more productive than ever. In the meantime, the only problems you’ll be worried about is your baby’s diapers!

It’s a great bonding experience

Paternal leave is important for the emotional and psychological well-being of any father

Just like humans, babies have an emotional connection too. That’s why you’ll find some babies shrieking whenever you rock them, but immediately resort to a sort of pin drop silence once their ‘mummy’ comes back to hold them.

For most fathers, this can be quite frustrating. And the main reason is that they missed out on the whole bonding process. With paternity leave, you get the opportunity to create a strong bond with your newborn.  Watch it though, you might get into a whole lot of trouble with the missus! If your spouse is expecting, we urge you to request for a paternity leave as soon as possible. It’s about time you got to spend a couple of months with your new family member!