My wife is due on January 15. It will be our first child.
I'm just wondering how others have handled taking paternity leave. What is offered by your employer? Any stigma attached to it?
By the way...little boy. 2030 state champion!
My wife took off from work 6 weeks, unpaid and then I took 6 weeks off. I took off
I was lucky that when my son was born I was on layoff. Right before my son was born I went in and talked to the boss and explained what was going on and he gave me another 6 weeks before I had to come back into work. I was scheduled to start a week after my sons birth. He also said that he would leave me on unemployment without raising a stink. I took 2 weeks and then my wife was ready to have me out of the house ;D
Looking back at it, that was pretty cool of what he did.
I think anything you can do to be home with your child is worth it!
I'll have about 15 sick days accrued by the time the baby comes. As a high school English teacher it is almost more work to be away than it is to be at school. I would love the half day idea, but I'm not sure if that is feasible. My thoughts right now are to take about a week when the baby arrives and then scatter days after that. Still need to talk with the "higher ups" about how this all works, though.
Keep any thoughts coming!
Quote from: futurerichguy on November 12, 2013, 03:40:37 PM
Quote from: head57 on November 12, 2013, 12:20:12 PM
By the way...little boy. 2030 state champion!
Come on, don't set the expections so low! How about 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 state champ??!! Use this paternity leave to teach him some moves. The earlier the better. ;)
Booking on Middle School inclusion by then. I thought predicting a 7-time state champion might be jumping the gun a bit, though.
I was in Grad School when my oldest was born. Had my classes clustered together so I essentially was a stay at home dad for the most part. Best three years of my life - and we still have a stronger bond than he does with my wife - just can't get that back later. Anything you can do to spend more time with your kids is worth it.
Interestingly, the only negative feedback I got was from mothers. All my friends thought it was awesome but wow, my wifes' friends, not so much. Think there may have been some jealousy on their part that I had the opportunity but yikes if I had to hear one more of those witches call rasing my son "babysitting".....
I had a chunk of time off in MPS when my daughter was born. Found a competent sub (that took some real work) and those days with a little baby girl were priceless. Took two weeks for my son. No bond is stronger than the parent/baby bond. Even if you don't get the time at baby; the more time you spend with your kids, the more money you'll save raising them. Fishing tackles is cheaper than a video game; and it's healthy stuff. Guns, etc. I think kids should learn about guns young. Hunting is healthy. Much healthier than most activities one can have in a living room. Making wood is a great hobby! :) Not easy.
Congratulations Head 57!
congratulations Head... :).you'll be busy...
Congrats on becoming a daddy! You will soon see the world through new eyes. 8) If you can get time off to devote to your family when this occurs, that will be awesome. When both of our kids were born, that wasn't an option. Making that opportunity the law of the land has been a great thing for families.
Quote from: head57 on November 12, 2013, 03:08:10 PM
I'll have about 15 sick days accrued by the time the baby comes. As a high school English teacher it is almost more work to be away than it is to be at school. I would love the half day idea, but I'm not sure if that is feasible. My thoughts right now are to take about a week when the baby arrives and then scatter days after that. Still need to talk with the "higher ups" about how this all works, though.
Keep any thoughts coming!
My principal was happy with the half days. Instead of walking away for 6 weeks with a sub lesson plans Tech Ed teacher) I was able to help the sub and my students were able to get some work done. The only thing he wouldn
First off congratulations!!! 2nd, if there would have been a stigma attached to it I would have not cared, family comes first. My previous employer followed the FMLA law and if you're employer is over 50 employees, they have to as well. Any sick time you have can be used during your up to 6 week time off. You could also use vacation. If you don't have benefit time you could take 6 weeks unpaid leave.
I took 3 weeks when we first got our daughter as did my wife and then the holidays came so she was home from school anyway. After the holidays she went back to work and I took 3 more weeks. Same with our son.
Quote from: Kjohnson on November 15, 2013, 10:33:33 AM
Quote from: head57 on November 12, 2013, 03:08:10 PM
I'll have about 15 sick days accrued by the time the baby comes. As a high school English teacher it is almost more work to be away than it is to be at school. I would love the half day idea, but I'm not sure if that is feasible. My thoughts right now are to take about a week when the baby arrives and then scatter days after that. Still need to talk with the "higher ups" about how this all works, though.
Keep any thoughts coming!
My principal was happy with the half days. Instead of walking away for 6 weeks with a sub lesson plans Tech Ed teacher) I was able to help the sub and my students were able to get some work done. The only thing he wouldn
Sick time? Take a couple of days off, more if your wife has a c-section. Make sure to help Mom, getting her water, changing diapers, take your shift on nights if you can.
Quote from: howavi on November 15, 2013, 10:26:39 PM
Sick time? Take a couple of days off, more if your wife has a c-section. Make sure to help Mom, getting her water, changing diapers, take your shift on nights if you can.
A couple days? Really? If you have sick time banked, take as much as you can. A couple days really doesn't speak to the amount of help that a new mother really needs and the important time bonding with the child. My first place allowed for unlimited sick carry over so I banked as much as I could and was lucky to take 3 weeks in the beginning and then when the wife went back to work 3 weeks after that. 2nd place I didn't have as much time to carry over so I dipped into regular vacation time.
Agreed on the taking shifts. Our kids are almost 3 and 7 and since the beginning we alternated waking up to tend to the kids and even now with putting them to bed. Good system if your schedule allows.