Shared Parental Leave Is Rewarding

Sam Russell spent four months on Shared Parental Leave looking after his son Rowan. His wife, a City accountant, took the first six months off.

The couple have found the whole experience very rewarding. Sam’s colleagues have been very supportive, and some have even said they are envious of him.

While both admit that the demands of parenting can be a challenge, Sam feels lucky to have taken the last few months of the leave. Every day his son seemed to be doing something new, from crawling to standing up.

Significantly, the experience has given Sam a fresh perspective about the world of work and what’s important in life.

He also feels that sharing care is good for parents’ relationships because they each have a better understanding of what the other is going through.

“It makes you appreciate that looking after a baby is a difficult job,” says Sam.

Both Sam and his wife hope that sharing parental leave will become the norm in the future.

• Vote  
• 0
• 0
• You already voted!