What I read
In "Working dads lose out in workplace, say MPs" (2018). Richard returned to his work after paternity absence. Even though he took the time off under government rule which allows mom and dad to share parental leave, he still had hard time. Richard and his wife (Helen) both worked very long hours. So, they had to decide who would take care their children. He had want to work for part time job but he was struggling. Almost of interviews always asked "Why isn't your wife picking up the children?" Although he got job with flexible time condition, he got not very well paid. The government said that changing father' rights is a way to improve gender equality.
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My response
This story really surprise me although it is common story and happen around me. For example, I asked my parent and my uncle about this issue. They both agree that they had the hard time when he had to take care children and also had to work. My uncle said that he decided his wife to resign her job to have enough to take care his children.
However, in Thailand we have never had it. Nowadays, our society try to improve gender equality, many women have better education and career prospect than in the past. Some of them have very senior position in companies and earn very high salary. May be it is more than his husband earn. So, if his husband cannot take long life or work as part time to take care their children, she will end up by discarding his career. I think it is not fair for them.
Personally, it is better for Thai government to regulate the new law to enforce the companies to have parental leave. It might not to have a lot of absent days or fully paid for long absence but at least it should have existence of parental leave.
According to the article, I strongly agree that this change is not only help every parent to have more time to live and take care their child, but it also improve equality between two sexes. In career ladder women would not meet any barrier for their job any more.
However, in Thailand we have never had it. Nowadays, our society try to improve gender equality, many women have better education and career prospect than in the past. Some of them have very senior position in companies and earn very high salary. May be it is more than his husband earn. So, if his husband cannot take long life or work as part time to take care their children, she will end up by discarding his career. I think it is not fair for them.
Personally, it is better for Thai government to regulate the new law to enforce the companies to have parental leave. It might not to have a lot of absent days or fully paid for long absence but at least it should have existence of parental leave.
According to the article, I strongly agree that this change is not only help every parent to have more time to live and take care their child, but it also improve equality between two sexes. In career ladder women would not meet any barrier for their job any more.
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My question
In Thailand as I know we don't have paternity absence. Should we change it or it is better to have shared parental leave ? Is there any disadvantages of this change ?
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Reference
- Burns, J. (2018, March 20). Working dads lose out in workplace, say MPs. BBC News. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/education-43463335
I agree with your idea New. I used to work as HR before and that time I thought that maternity leave is enough for mom to give birth and take care of her infant for a while but I have never think about father perspective. As you said, if mother earns money more than father, maybe father would be the one who takes care of the child. Moreover, fixing this problem, the government should change the law to be more flexible for them such as parents can share their maternity or paternity leave together or let them finish work earlier than usual.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you that paternity leave should be provided for both women and men. It would be great if a wife can take maternity for 3 months or more and after that a husband takes paternity leave to continue looking after their child.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, leaving a job to be full-time mother or father depends on voluntariness and agreement of both spouses.
There are many issues when we are talking about gender qualities. My mom was also the one who resigned from work after she had have me and my brother. She chose to give up her work and other things for raising a child. I think this is unfair, having a child is common and work places should announce parental absence, in order to support employees. Everybody has rights to have kids and their job should support that issue. Either men or women should have equal right to take parental leave, and I can not see any disadvantage about it.
ReplyDeleteI love the word "parental leave" because it shows that being parents isn't just a duty of one gender. Besides, I strongly agree with the idea of paternal leave. Actually, it doesn't matter which one of them has to leave or quit their job for taking care of their children if both of them can reach an agreement they enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI would love to share some personal experience about this topic. My cousin decided that she will be the one who makes money for her family while her husband becomes a homemaker because he can do it better, both housework and babysitting. They're happy with their situation. No argument. No quarrel.
Actually, being parents is neither advantageous nor disadvantageous. It's about parental responsibility indeed. Thus, genders don't play a big role in this, but being parents do.