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Parenting

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Original poster

shared parental leave

10 replies

gunting · 03/04/2016 23:19

Has anyone used the new laws on shared parental leave so their DH could be come a SAHD? If so how did it go?

OP posts:

ClearlyOpaque · 04/04/2016 09:36

We did! I went back to work at 7 months (December) and hubby stayed at home. He's supposed to go back in May, but he's enjoying it so much he's going to resign....

guinnessguzzler · 04/04/2016 11:49

We did. Second time now (although first time was under the previous rules which were slightly different to now). I'm still on my bit of leave this time but my hubby is counting down the days to his turn. Both times we have split it so I took the first bit and him the second.

One thing is lots of employers still don't understand how it works so be ready to have to explain and sign post to legislation although obviously HR departments should be up to speed even if individual managers aren't.

We have been really happy with how it worked out.

guinnessguzzler · 04/04/2016 11:51

And after the first bit of leave my hubby enjoyed it so much he went part time and is busy plotting how to afford not to go back at all after the next bit. So be warned!

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Amummyatlast · 04/04/2016 14:36

We did it under the old regs (additinal paternity leave rather than shared parental leave) and DH liked it so much he resigned and became a SAHD. We knew this was a possibility from the beginning though - he didn't just spring it on me.

Jenijena · 04/04/2016 14:38

Did it last time, under old rules, and doing it again this time. Both times I'm getting the first six months, DH gets the last half (ish). And when we're normal, we both have a day a week at home.

JeannePoole · 04/04/2016 18:08

We did, under the previous rules. I went back to work when DS was 6 months old and DH took the rest of my year. We used my accrued annual leave to overlap for five weeks in the middle as a kind of handover period, which was lovely.
I'm the higher earner so it made sense for DH to get the statutory pay / unpaid portion of the mat leave. And since DS will be our only one (older parents), it was lovely for DH to get that one-to-one time with him. DH really enjoyed it and we have no regrets. The only downside from my point of view is that DS (now 18m) is a proper Daddy's boy!

seaweed123 · 05/04/2016 20:23

We just did it for just the last month. It was a nice way to ease back into work, not having to worry about nursery straight away, and having dinner in the oven when I got home.

I am glad I didn't go back earlier though. DH was a bottle refuser and I was still breastfeeding several times per night.

MrsD14 · 08/04/2016 22:08

Yes! We did it, 50:50 split with some overlap (couple of months). We got family time, DH has a lovely bond with LO and I was able to feel ok about going back to work quite quickly, so much better for us financially. I don't think he's going to go back to work tbh!!

jennifer86 · 09/04/2016 13:49

We also did it just for the last month, under the old rules. I found it great to ease back into work without having to worry about picking DS up from nursery or anything. DP also really enjoyed spending that time with DS as he had been struggling with his work-life balance for a few months before that. It also gave him an appreciation of what I had been doing for the past few months!

DadvsDaughters · 14/04/2016 11:30

I'm currently a SAHD - sharing leave with my wife for our second daughter. Wife did the first seven months and I'm doing five months (three more to go). Loving it so far - having a great time with both my girls (eldest has just started school). So much so I've started to blog about it: dadvsdaughters.wordpress.com/
I'd highly recommend it to any dads who can make it work.

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