Yesterday was the first day I taught a class at the University since last May. Among other things, the research leave that has now ended was a way to experience working-parenting on a more manageable scale. The first day back felt great, even exhilarating at times, but when it was over I was still wired, I had a thousand things on my mind, and I had been gone and away from the Prince for almost eleven hours. I did put a picture of him on my office door thus guaranteeing about a half-dozen PC convo's a day.
We are fortunate. Though C's job with the city schools does not afford her anything by way of paid maternity leave, if you have a baby at the beginning of summer you can at least begin your recovery without having to go into work. Still, it could be so much better for working parents in this country. Last month we were out to dinner with a colleague of mine from Stockholm and talking about work leave in Sweden. There, the government supports families by paying new parents to take leave from their jobs and be with the kid for a year and a half. This has to happen within the first five years of life, or so, which allows double-income couples to stagger their leaves. Some professionals take a pay cut when they go on the stipend, but I'm told that it is reasonable. Of course, someone has to pay for all that leave--hello, high taxes--but is this kind of setup not absolutely consistent with the totally pro-natal, pro-family culture we live in? The Swedes are onto something simple: money is a great resource but so is time. In the US we simply don't have a setup that allows us to be the wonderful parents we imagine ourselves to be.
3 comments:
ABSOLUTELY!!! Being in a conservative, "family-values" state, I wondered why I was being forced to choose between my FAMILY and an income. Sorry...hit a nerve :P.
On a happier note USC now has paid teaching leave for people who adopt or give birth, or have an illness in the immediate family. Only faculty though... unfortunately the state makes staff use thier sick leave...what's even worse, some faculty dont see that as too much of a problem. Things are changing in some places, I guess.
Your post reminded me of an article I had read a few years ago about the health care coverage in Norway.
http://www.rakemag.com/reporting/rakish-angle/land-milk-money
I wish I could spend 1 1/2 years at home with my new guy.
thanks ed and tex for the comments. Tex the USC staff must be furious.
Of course I said nothing in the post about the availability of leave for men. It's still not a very popular thing, even at so-called "progressive" workplaces like universities and schools. When I looked at my handbook and talked to a few people at UR I soon learned that the only leave for giving birth was for medical recovery. So for me, it was a dead end. And this is too bad. I would have gladly delayed promotion to hang with PC, but the bigger problem is how these policies reinforce the expectation/stereotype that childcare is only for women.
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