America has always prided itself on being a country founded on family morals. Common wisdom seems to dictate that we’re supposed to always put our families above all.
However, when one is starting a family in the United States, that can be more than difficult. The U.S. doesn’t make any effort to help people start families.
Starting a family is especially taxing on men because of the lack of a good paid paternity leave programs. While women are given some paid maternity leave, at a rate that varies from state to state, men are given less opportunities to be with their newborns in the first few months of their lives.
It’s appalling we put more emphasis on men being the main breadwinners, instead of being actual fathers.
According to a study by the Center for Work and Family at Boston College, dads rarely take time off after the birth of their child. In fact, the same study goes on to report that three quarters of men who don’t receive a form of paternity leave take off a week at work. What’s even more shocking is 16 percent of them are unable to take any days off.
What kind of country are we living in if we can’t offer more than a measly week off with pay? Moreover, how must a new father feel if they can’t take any days off from work?
Washington Work and Family Coalition 