Description:

Starting in the late 20th century, Scandinavian countries began opening up parental leave for fathers, with Norway eventually establishing at least four weeks of parental leave for fathers alone. This approach has now caught on throughout the post-industrialized world. How have these policies affected family bonding and the well-being of children?

In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Kay Hymowitz, the William E. Simon Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of City Journal. Kay explains that the goal of these policies was to create more gender equality by allowing women a quicker return to the workforce. In reality, mothers remained taking care of the children, and the attempt to re-order gender relations has only confirmed the existence of the natural differences between mothers and fathers.

Resources:

• What we know about paternity leave | Kay Hymowitz | Institute for Family Studies

• Mom genes: Inside the new science of our ancient maternal instinct | Abigail Tucker | Gallery Books

Show notes:

• 00:45 | The history of paternity leave

• 02:40 | The “use it or lose it” approach

• 10:20 | Who pays for these expansive paternity leave policies?

• 13:55 | Acknowledging that women have a unique bond with their child

• 18:25 | Bureaucratic efforts to redefine gender roles