It’s difficult to go up against societal norms. When it comes to parental leave, it’s important for dads to use paid leave time off. The benefits include bonding with your child, improving the well-being of the mother and family. Early involvement for a father in a child’s life fosters stronger relationships.
It also promotes gender equity at home by challenging the outdated idea that moms should handle all caregiving. When fathers opt out, mothers often bear the brunt, reinforcing traditional roles.
Supporting mothers’ recovery and careers is another key benefit. Dads taking leave reduces stress on moms during postpartum recovery and allows them to return to work sooner if desired. This could lessen career interruptions that lead to wage gaps.
For fathers, taking leave improves mental health and life satisfaction by allowing them to adjust to parenthood without the immediate pressure to keep working. It also challenges workplace stigma, normalizing caregiving as a fatherly role. On a societal level, it drives change by dismantling gender stereotypes.
Economically, dads using leave maximizes benefits worth $6,000 to $10,000 per person according to a McKinsey report. Also, it helps stabilize families financially and reduces turnover for employers.
Why Dads Don’t Take Time Off
In the United States, access to paid family leave remains uneven. Fathers are still hesitant to take the time off they’re entitled to. As of 2021, only 27% of civilian workers had access to paid family leave. Mothers take extended leave for childbirth and recovery. Meanwhile, fathers get caught up in restrictive societal norms. They feel pressure to return to work as soon as possible.
A study spanning 2016 to 2019 revealed that about two-thirds of first-time fathers took some form of leave within 12 weeks of their child’s birth. Only 33.1% of fathers used paid parental leave, compared to 44.8% of mothers. This suggests that many fathers, either lack access or awareness of paternity leave policies.
Even in states like New York, which offers one of the nation’s most robust paid family leave programs, fathers often take fewer days than mothers, typically less than two weeks compared to mothers’ six to twelve weeks, according to New York State Paid Family Leave Reports.
A recent McKinsey report, conducted in collaboration with Moms First, provides insights into men’s usage of parental leave. The study, released in February 2025, focused on mandatory paid leave programs in New York, New Jersey, and California, surveying over 2,000 parents in these states.
Some of the key findings from the report include only 40% of eligible parents used their paid leave benefits in 2022. Men are half as likely to use paid leave benefits compared to women, even though more men are eligible due to higher workforce participation. Many male respondents indicated they didn’t think taking leave was necessary if their partner was already doing so.
Societal Pressure
Cultural norms play a significant role in child rearing. Many men feel pressure to return quickly to work to provide for the family. Many men see this as a traditional view of masculinity. This reflects a deeper societal expectation that fathers prioritize breadwinning over caregiving. Many fathers view taking extended leave as a career risk.
Mothers, who often take longer leaves due to physical recovery and societal expectations, face financial pressures but are more likely to prioritize time off. A 2020 Pew Research Center study found that men are less likely to take extended leave even when available, citing workplace pressures and fear of career repercussions.
When fathers don’t take leave, it reinforces traditional gender roles, placing disproportionate childcare burdens on mothers and perpetuating workplace inequities. Mothers are often seen as primary caregivers, which can hinder their career progression.
What Employers Can Do To Help
Employers should foster a culture that normalizes paternity leave. They can provide informative policies, procedures and discussions to make sure that there are no career penalties or stigmas attached to taking time off. Companies like Netflix, which provides up to a year of paid leave, can show leadership for other organizations.
Businesses can expand access to fully paid leave to make leave-taking financially viable for all families. Countries like Sweden, with 480 days of shared parental leave at 80% pay.
Both the workplace and society needs to redefine fatherhood to celebrate active caregiving. It’s not just breadwinning. It’s time to dismantle stereotypes that equate masculinity with constant work.