When will we dictate policy to protect our future generations?
Posted February 18th, 2010 by Janna WaldherWhy are other countries recognizing the need for a paid stay-at home option, yet we are not? When will we dictate policy to protect our future generations? Our country’s leaders seem to be primarily concerned with the here and now, instead of maintaining a balance that satisfies the present and the future. When will we, parents, amass and demand better options for balancing work and parenthood? How long will we wallow in a discontent disillusionment that our leaders won’t listen or aren’t concerned? Aren’t we the ones who determine who our leaders will be? Aren’t “we the people” destined to manifest the nation we strongly desire?
Below is a list of countries that have incorporated paid parental leave. (click on the country for article link) Each country has individualized the details on how-to achieve this goal. However a similar mindset is loudly broadcast within all articles; by compensating parents, the financial strain is relieved, thus allowing a strong parent/child relationship to form which in-turn prepares a mentally and emotionally healthy future work-force. When will we realize that the health of our country depends on us making a self-effacing decision which protects our future? I pray that the answer is soon!
Keep posted for future blogs regarding the “how to” of making this goal become law.
“The price of greatness is responsibility” ~ Winston Churhill
One Comment
My first child was born in New York State. We moved to Sweden when she was one year old, and it is paradise with small children. I took six months of paid leave with the first kid and am on nine months off with the second kid.
The benefit to our family life is immeasurable with the security that the paid leave (not to mention other benefits, but I will not get too far into socialism here) provides us. It caught us when we had no support network. I cannot imagine what my kids’ life would have been like in the US.
It is an interesting question about how much the government can impose the leave. Here they in recent years made 60 of the 480 days only for dads. And now there are more and more fathers taking the leave, and happily, even if they were not fighting for it, per se.
All in all, I just do not understand how and why American parents put up with the insanity of our system.
I am blogging about my time on paternity leave up here in the far north at nathanhegedus.wordpress.com
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