How dare you do that. . Some replies I'm seeing here are the downfall of society. A man works. He doesn't lay around on "paternity leave" for Christ sakes. Same guys that probly have to ask their wives can I do this or can I do that. Let me check and see if my wife let's me buy a gun type guys. Jeez

I just want to know who's gonna get the recliner. Steel man or his BIL?

oh boy.

Ha yall kiss me between the buttox cheeks lol,i really dont know what kind of policy we have at work , i wasnt trying to take it back to the lewis and clark era, but my wife has 3 rugrats and we are expecting out first one so, trying to do anything i can do to help, just asking for slme suggestions, not alot of alot of insuinuating insults,..we got in a fight, but my bil agreed to let me keep the recliner lol

Got heated up in here, my first I was off a couple days, second a week due to complications and my 3rd I was off 3 days. First was unpaid, next two were paid in full due to being swapped to salary

We had a guy at work that took the full 6 weeks off and dumped work on everyone else. He lost a ton of respect, because everyone knew he was just at home eating Doritos for a month and a half.

Since "parental leave is B.S.", you're telling me that, as part of your benefits package provided by your employer, you wouldn't take 2 weeks of PAID parental leave to, as my company describes it, "bond with and care for the child"? ok then

Now, the whole unpaid leave (FMLA?) for the fathers thing? Yeah I don't see the point in that except in extreme circumstances. I was ready to get back to work when my PAID leave was up.

I don't know what our policy was, but my son was born on a Saturday and I was back at work on Monday. My daughter was born on a Tuesday and I was back at work on Thursday. We were fortunate in that my mother-in-law was able and wanted to take off work to help out. I could see how people in different situations might need more time off though.

I had plenty of bonding time with my kids between 6 pm - 6 am that first month before they started sleeping through the night.

I think it's a fantastic benefit more men should take advantage of during the first few weeks after their child is born and comes home. It's quite an adjustment for the family, not to mention a great way to further strengthen the relationship with your wife.

You fellers are rough tonight

When my first 2 daughters were born I didn't take but a couple of days off when my wife was in the hospital. When our last baby was born I was in the job I have now and I got one full week off with pay. I took my time off and enjoyed every minute of it.

Some info about the Federal Maternity Leave Act as it applies to fathers:

http://www.babycenter.com/0_paternity-leave-what-are-the-options-for-dads_8258.bc

I personally don't think life is meant to be all about work.

Theres no way I'd take 2-4 solid weeks off. Paid or unpaid. I'd have to play catch up for 2-3 months.

But if I had some brainless/monantanous job to do every day, hell yeah, make some other flunkie do it for me. My wife had a baby!

If youre in a leadership position, coming in for a bunch of half days is alot better than being absent for the better part of a month.

My son was born on a Monday night. I started a jury trial on Wednesday. The judge was nice enough to give me Monday and Tuesday.
My wife took off from November to the next August.

Hah... We had a guy take the full 12 weeks of FMLA leave for the birth of his child. Ol boy had it tough once returned.

I took 4 weeks off paid. 2 weeks fmla then 2 weeks vacation. We spent the first week in the hospital then the next 3 I was my wife's slave. I was so happy to et back to work. Main reason I 2 weeks vacation I was about to loose them because I never could use them.

We get 4 weeks paid and can be scheduled and taken all at once, single days, or a week at a time and can be used up till the child is a year old. We had several guys knock their wives up in February and March to get a month off for deer season...

My life isn't my job and my job isn't my life. I took a couple of weeks off when both of my kids were born, to spend time with them and to help my wife. I was in a position where I was able to do it and didn't, or still don't, give a damn what anyone else thought about it. I actually feel sorry for someone who thinks their job is more important than time with their family.

A friend of mine had to threaten to get an attorney involved after his boss and HR department laughed at him for wanting to take the 12 weeks and denied the request. He met all the federal requirements to take leave and they basically told him "Men shouldn't be doing this." After he discussed it with an attorney, got some advice about what to let them know would happen and then talked with them a final time, they granted him the leave.

Then they badgered him during the time off about work-related matters, until he had the attorney contact the HR person to let them know that time off means time off, period. After returning to work the boss treated him like chit as part of an intimidation jackassery campaign, all based on the attitude that "he wasn't a real man" for wanting to be with his wife and newborn instead of at work.

My friend is still employed. The boss later was demoted and subsequently fired, a few years later, when management realized he was ineffective as a leader. He was not missed.

Do what works best for you and your family - screw what others may think.

BTW - good to see you laugh off the whole BIL BS.