I should preface this love-fest by saying that we live in California, where there is PAID family leave (not your whole salary, but not nothing either). But still, I am so darned proud of DH, that I need to share. 
Although we both work, he has always been way more concerned than I about salary, providing for the family, all those typically "male" things in our society. When DS was born, he took 2 weeks of vacation time, but I don't think it ever occurred to him to take more than that. A couple of weeks ago, we were talking to a couple who have slightly older kids. The dad was saying he took several week of family leave when #2 was born, and was the first in his company to do so. He said he felt like what he did was important, not only for his new daughter, but also for other men in his company, because it opened up a door. After he set the example, almost every new father in his company has done so.
I wasn't even sure DH was particularly listening during that conversation (there were three 3 year olds, a 5 year old, and an 8 year old going nuts around us at the time
). But tonight, he came home with a packet of information about family leave, and told me he is having to educate his Maryland-based company on California leave law. He's only proposing taking off a few extra weeks, but he's hoping to do it when I go back to work part-time, so I'll be less of a stressed out wreck. I adore my newly progressive DH!
Has anyone else's partner done this, or are they planning on it? Any advice in terms of explaining all this to his higher ups? When he took 2 weeks off with DS, that was already the longest any male in his office had taken for the birth of a child, so this is seriously radical (sigh, I'll leave off my rant about our lack of family-friendly work models in this country!)
I've been such a grumpy pregnant lady lately, this show of support seriously made my week!
Although we both work, he has always been way more concerned than I about salary, providing for the family, all those typically "male" things in our society. When DS was born, he took 2 weeks of vacation time, but I don't think it ever occurred to him to take more than that. A couple of weeks ago, we were talking to a couple who have slightly older kids. The dad was saying he took several week of family leave when #2 was born, and was the first in his company to do so. He said he felt like what he did was important, not only for his new daughter, but also for other men in his company, because it opened up a door. After he set the example, almost every new father in his company has done so.
I wasn't even sure DH was particularly listening during that conversation (there were three 3 year olds, a 5 year old, and an 8 year old going nuts around us at the time
). But tonight, he came home with a packet of information about family leave, and told me he is having to educate his Maryland-based company on California leave law. He's only proposing taking off a few extra weeks, but he's hoping to do it when I go back to work part-time, so I'll be less of a stressed out wreck. I adore my newly progressive DH!Has anyone else's partner done this, or are they planning on it? Any advice in terms of explaining all this to his higher ups? When he took 2 weeks off with DS, that was already the longest any male in his office had taken for the birth of a child, so this is seriously radical (sigh, I'll leave off my rant about our lack of family-friendly work models in this country!)
I've been such a grumpy pregnant lady lately, this show of support seriously made my week!
It stunk!
Next week he is going down to 4 day weeks and then when I'm 39.5 weeks he will be off for good. Last time I went 42 weeks and it was rough. I will be kind of bummed if I go that long and he uses all that vacation then, but then again, I have a much better time caring for the baby than being pregnant.
