Would you and your partner take time off work if companies offered 6 months paid parental leave for all?

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Having a new baby is an exciting time regardless of whether you’re a mum or a dad, and spending time with them in those first few months is a precious experience. A year ago Aviva introduced its equal paid parental leave policy, where all employees can take up to 12 months off, with no need for mums to share their maternity allowance. With this in mind, Aviva would like to hear your thoughts on giving all parents the same amount of time off.

Here’s what Caroline Prendergast, Interim Chief People Officer at Aviva has to say: “We decided to make all parents at Aviva eligible for the same amount of paid and unpaid time off, regardless of gender, sexual orientation or how they became a parent. We thought that dads would want to spend time with their new arrivals, just as mums do. One year on, our experience shows that with financial barriers removed, they do just that.”

You can find out more about Aviva as an employer here.

If all companies offered 6 months paid parental leave, do you think your spouse or partner would be prepared take the time off work to share childcare duties? If not, why not?

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totally he would!

we would have used this, we would have loved to give my hubby the same quality time

I'm not sure 6 months but maybe 2 or 3. It would be good to have the option.

Yes definitely, I can't see why any wouldn't take up the opportunity.

Depending on the financial implications, I think we would have. I think it is an important step forward in challenging the toxic masculinity of the patriarchy - why should it be OK for only the women to stay at home? Children and parents will definitely benefit from this.

Definitely. Particularly as I'm self-employed so he would be the only one getting any paid time off!

I think it is equally important to have the dad around as well as mum for everyone great idea but would it work in the real world affording this might might take this option away from a lot of families

My husband is self employed so no.... As he wouldn't be paid the shared parental leave!

Great idea, 2 weeks as a dad is so little time

Yes, I think DH would jump at the chance! He got a decent amount of paid leave from his company and he was always so sad at having to return, and missing out on watching the babies grow up. I think I'd be concerned about the impact on his career though, because he'd miss out on projects at work if he was away for that long.

Not sure how realistic this is. We work for a small company - there's no way we could both have taken so much leave!

Yeah I think my husband would. He loves his days off with our little one and if they were paid, even better

This is a brilliant idea and may also help gender inequality at work. My husband would definitely have done this and it would have been brilliant. As he is self employed he was entitled to nothing, not even two weeks paternity leave unless he was willing to lose pay, which is what he did.

The main barrier is breastfeeding. I EBF till 13/14 months with mine so it wouldn't have been possible. That said, many mums BF till 6 months then move to formula so would be ideal for them.

Yes, my husband would. After each child I went back to work and he does all the wrap around care. If he could, he would have had more time off with the girls.

Don't think it would have worked for us but it would have helped make us more equal parents as even though I'm back at work I'm still the main parent

Yes! But in ours jobs (teaching) the guilt would be immense and I’m not sure my husband could do it in reality

I think it's an amazing idea. My DH suffered with depression after our DS was born and it took 6 months for him to seek help. He's now still on medication and feels a lot better. Our DS is now 18 months old and we would like a second child, but there are a few things making us very wary. Shared leave would make it easier for DH to bond with a new baby and make juggling two kids and cooking, cleaning etc a lot easier. I'm not sure if he'd take the full 6 months as he does like his job and tends to get bored at home after the school holidays (he works at a college), but I think we would all really benefit if he had 2 or 3 months off. I'd love to see this offered by all employers, but I know that the financial implications would be huge!

I dont think so...but he did really enjoy the 2 weeks we had. I kniw two friends who are doing shared parental leave though.

My DH got 2 weeks paternity leave then added on 2 weeks annual leave though those 4 weeks flew by!
Having longer off together would have been nice though finances as well as factoring other children/ tasks / routines etc do need to be considered.
6 months off seems nice in theory though the reality may be different.

YES YES YES! What a great idea! This would surely make first time parents lives easier as you’re learning with someone else, creating a family bond together and spending more time with baby as a unit can’t hurt.

Currently ttc and my partner would definitely take the time off if he could.

I think it sounds a great idea in principal and one that we would have definitely considered and looked into.
I do wonder practically what the effects would be at my husbands work if he did that but I guess it is similar to woman taking maternity leave...but I think it is progression and hopefully it is a positive move for new parents and becomes the norm!

yes it sounds great!