Historically, as well as traditionally, the role of the caregiver has been assigned to a mother. By virtue of carrying the child in her womb, she is assumed to have a deeper or perhaps inevitably more intimate connection with the child than the father, who only provides the sperm and is then out of the picture for the next nine months.
He does not feel the child kicking in his stomach or get bloated up like a balloon or has crazy mood swings due to the baby, consequently making him less concerned about the child. Are you blue in the face of wanting to protest to all that is written above? I know I am.
Just because fathers are not physically in touch with their child when he or she is in the womb does not make them any less concerned about their welfare or any less affectionate. Also, a father’s support for a mother is essential for a successful pregnancy. Being there to witness every stage of pregnancy helps fathers develop a bond with the baby before birth.
So, the question of whether or not men are entitled to paternity leave should not even be asked in a fair scenario, but the world is hardly a fair place, and things are rarely so simple that a yes or no will solve an issue.
Paternity leave raises a host of other snags: Should the Paternity leave be equal in all respects to the maternity leave? Should men be given paternity leave before or after childbirth or at both times?
Is unpaid Paternity leave a viable option? Is Paternity leave an option for all people from diverse economic backgrounds? Should Paternity leave be given to an unmarried father?
In an age of gender equality, Paternity leave should be encouraged. Still, we cannot deny that having a child affects the mother more in a physical and biological capacity than the fathers. So, their leaves cannot be on an egalitarian basis. A father's role is more pronounced after childbirth, and it is also crucial that he is an equal participant in the caregiving.
Therefore, it is more beneficial to give Paternity leaves after childbirth if one has to make a choice. But ideally, they should get leave before also for preparing themselves mentally, emotionally as well as by preparing their surroundings for the arrival of a baby.
Unpaid or Paid Paternity Leave?
Paternity leave is only possible in a cosmopolitan corporate structure; in areas and families that rely solely on the man’s income, even a paid Paternity leave is not very feasible. An unpaid one seems like a utopian dream.
While unpaid Paternity leave, leaves the family in dire conditions if there is no alternate income, a paid one is also not that great, since there is no additional income to offset the additional expenditure of having a child.
Is this the time when the men work more to get more money as the women are unable to do so, or should they stay at home as a support for the women and a caregiver for the child? People from poor economic backgrounds don’t really have a choice, especially if their partner is not an earning member.
Marriage- a Criterion for Paternity Leave?
Is getting married supposed to be a criterion for paternity leave? Becoming a father can have nothing to do with the fact that you are married to your child's mother or are in a relationship with her. But, no matter what the parent's relationship is, both are equally responsible for bringing a new life into the world. Therefore, both are entitled to leave regardless of their marital status.
Established Notions of Fatherhood- a Bump for Paternity Leave?
Another problem with Paternity leave in the Indian context can be that even after availing it, the men might not break out of their established notions of fatherhood and follow the age-old division of labour at home, where the mother not only assumes the responsibility of the child but also looks after the house, doubling her workload.
All things considered, the concept of Paternity leave is a revolutionary one though it should not be so. Just providing Paternity leave does not mean it is convenient for every man to avail of it. But then, that does not take away men's right to at least have an option available to them.
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