America’s massive parental leave failure: Why the seeming inability to pass 12 weeks of paid time off is terrible for moms and dads and kids
November 9, 2021
I was overwhelmingly sad, angry and disturbed by Democrats’ decision to abandon their plans to include 12 weeks of paid family leave in their $1.75 trillion social-spending and climate bill — and relieved when the priority, downsized, reappeared in a new version of the bill this week.
But let’s be clear: Four weeks is not even close to being enough time for mothers to bond with and attach to their babies. To claim it is sufficient represents a profound devaluing of motherhood and parenting as well as a misunderstanding of the fundamental building blocks of mental health for children.
