BLOG: Parental Leave
The Families Commission said today that parental leave should be extended to 13 months, including a month's leave for fathers.
About time! A baby's first year of life is so special, so miraculous that parents should spend as much time as possible with their newborn. Actually, I think a baby's second and third years of life are pretty special, too. The Brainwave Trust tells us that
At birth the baby’s brain is only 15% developed. Most of a baby’s brain development actually occurs after the birth - in the first three years of life. It is the child’s experiences during these years that enable the brain to grow. In particular, it is relationally-rich experiences which provide children with the ‘brain-food’ they need to grow into happy, secure and well functioning adults. Poor experiences during this time can have lasting negative effects on a child’s brain…and who they can become.... Read the full text of this blog post.
