Saturday, November 21, 2015

Mark Zuckerberg to Take 2-Month Paternity Leave

What exactly does a guy do, all day, with a baby infant around the house?

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and chief executive, plans to take two months in paternity leave after the arrival of his first daughter, reports FT.

In a post on his Facebook profile, Zuckerberg wrote that he and his wife Priscilla Chan had made the “very personal decision” that he should take two months away from the helm of the company to spend with their baby.

Notes FT:
Mr Zuckerberg’s decision contrasts with that of another high-profile Silicon Valley chief executive, Yahoo’s Marissa Mayer, who is pregnant with twins.
When Ms Mayer announced her pregnancy in September, she said that she planned to take “limited time away” and work throughout, as she had with her first child. She said she wanted to be present at a “unique time in Yahoo’s transformation”.
Isn't this politically correct twisted nonsense? Shouldn't the mother be at home breastfeeding the infant and the father working?

I really think lefties have a problem with reality and aren't satisfied unless they are calling for the twisted.

They want women in the military but want "safe spaces" when controversial people speak on campuses.

 -RW

29 comments:

  1. If a father has the means to spend time with his child or children at any age, he should do it. There is nothing twisted, PC or "left wing" about that.

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    1. Do you seriously think a father hanging around the house 24 hours of the day saying "goo ga ga" to a 2 month old is going to make a difference in the child's life?

      If this "goo ga ga" time is important, wouldn't the hours after work be enough?

      Delete
    2. Many, many developmental things go on during those early years that are as important or even more so than later in life. You must not have kids if you think that the only possible role for a father in those years is "hanging around" and saying goo goo ga ga. All that being said, my point is that being around your children at any age is a choice that is not colored by politics.

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    3. What is the father supposed to do with a 2 month old infant, so much so that he shouldn't work?

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    4. Communication with newborns is much more basic and intimate than you can imagine if you have never had the experience. He can feed the baby even if he can't nurse, many women pump and bottle milk nowadays and supplement with formula, he can change diapers, rock the baby to sleep, do lots of laundry, clean and prepare food for nursing mom, let mom get rest, and, I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty confident that he can run his business from home for a couple months in just 3-4 hours a day and catch up on correspondence in the evenings. He can also schedule any important meetings that can't be delayed at his home during this time.

      I don't think anyone really believes he is taking a leave of absence but more like moving his base of operations for a few months.

      Hope all goes well with the delivery, I'm sure they have the best of everything in place for the new arrival.

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    5. But when will he have time to talk with his plants? And where the hell is the mother if the she is pumping milk? You mean it is more important for a baby to get bottled milk from the father, home 24, while the mother is out gallivanting?

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    6. When my cousin Frank was born, his dad took 6 months off work to stay home with him and he turned out fine. A couple of years ago he went through a sex change, becoming 'Francine', and then he joined a cult. I think he goes by 'Mother Shabubu' now.

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    7. Robert, your objection here is ridiculous. The mother can pump anywhere in the house. And giving her a 1 hour break is good for her health and rejuvenation. It's not "gallivanting".

      It's obvious you know nothing of child-rearing. Which is no crime. But it's a crime to have a loud and vociferous opinion on a subject you know nothing about.

      Delete
  2. Robert, I love you, but do people who own/run businesses have the right to take a couple months off or to work out of their house if they want to?

    He may very well get chased back to the office by a nursing mom on a hormonal roller coaster but at this moment in time he is planning to take advantage of a company policy giving parental paid leave to employees.

    Do you seriously think he will just stop working for 2 months? I don't. Just like I don't think for a second that his wife is out gallivanting because he is feeding the baby, but, even if she was, that's between them, but she's probably doing laundry or napping so he can sleep at night while she does night feedings.

    It's just not a lefty thing, sorry.

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    1. " He is planning to take advantage of a company policy giving parental paid leave to employees."

      It's the man's company and I doubt two months pay means anything to this guy.

      There are a lot of things people have the "right" to do that doesn't mean some of them aren't insane. "Rights" have nothing to do with it."

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  3. I was lucky enough to take 6 weeks off when my second child was born, as I was changing jobs. It was amazing and I am so happy I did it. I got to spend time with my family, do some cool trips, help my wife, get some projects done around the house that I had been putting off, etc.

    Value is subjective, I valued the time with my family more than starting earlier with my new job, and apparently Mark Z. does as well. Good for him.

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    1. So is this now about cool trips? Wouldn't it make more sense to travel when you aren't lugging a two month around? Or is this about getting "some project done arounsd the house?" What the hell does that have to do with a two month around?

      Does the two month hand you the tools?

      Yes, value is subjective, but there is nothing wrong with calling out absurdity, If the best you can come up with fro"Goo ga ga" leave is trips and getting projects done around the house it highlights the absurdity of a man staying around the house for two months after a baby is born.

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  4. Perhaps at the end of two months, we'll have an announcement of the new facebook robot wet nurse. The nurse will be equipped with supple nanofiber nipples delivering politically-correct soy milk lightly pressurized by titanium-impeller pumps. The robot will also have a 24/7 web cam and automatically post baby updates every 15 minutes to facebook -- relieving parents of that stress-filled task.

    The entire assembly will be powered by solar cells fashioned to resemble a stylish Kentucky Derby hat.

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    1. You've been eaves-dropping on the planning sessions, haven't you?

      Delete
  5. If Zuckerberg wants to never work another day in his life, I'm certain he could afford to do so. What concern is of anybody else's? Is he violating the NAP?

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    1. Zuckerberg can do whatever the hell he wants, but we can certainly call out absurd behavior even if it doesn't violate NAP.

      The point is that current culture tortures gender roles and promotes confused thinking.

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    2. So now wanting to spend time with your newborn qualifies as "absurd behavior"? Stick to economics.

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  6. Robert, I think you are great. But it's clear you don't have children.

    I have 5 kids, and am an Austrian Anarcho-Capitalist Catholic. (say that 5 times fast).

    Child development, from Day 1, is anything but "goo-goo, ga-ga". Have a son and you will understand. Their unique personality will show from day one.

    One beneficial cultural development in the US, which has been known for a long time in Latin culture, is that the educated class of fathers have dropped the baby boomer / "greatest generation" trait of ignoring their young kids and considering their early development as sort of irrelevant.

    You can develop an incredible and loving connection with a newborn. It has an important effect on early security and psychology, which in my reading has a healthy effect on self-confidence and independence that lasts into adulthood. So much so, that the outcomes from age 4 are highly correlated to adult success.

    These early connections go to the root of human nature, and in my view, the goal of our Creator.

    In my extra time with my children, my 7 year old has become a multi-lingual chess genius, my 5 year old an excellent reader, and all of my kids extremely creative and vivacious.

    From origami, to chess, to writing stories and lego instructions, the good I have done simply be being more present is of immeasurable value to me, and has clearly had an objectively beneficial effect on their intelligence and creativity, which correlates to a much more successful life.

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    1. The theory in your first paragraph is wrong and it only gets worse from there.

      And who said anything about ignoring ones kids? Or anything about 4 year olds?

      Where do you get this stuff?

      "From origami, to chess, to writing stories and lego instructions, the good I have done simply be being more present is of immeasurable value to me" What are you talking about? Did I say anything about this. We are talking about an infant in his first two months of life, where I happen to think it is idiotic for a father to stay in the house 24 hours,

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    2. What is your objection to a father being in the house 24 hours? Do you think it's too boring or do you think he can't be productive while in the house? What makes him an idiot if he is in the house 24 hours?

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    3. Robert, again, I am a big fan of you. But please don't double down on this one.

      You have moved the goalposts to limit your point to 2 months of initial paternity leave. So is 1 week ok? Is 2 weeks?

      And I'm a big fan, so please don't be insulting. It makes no sense.

      Historically, the wife had her extended family to help in the critical time of the first few months. But today, many families are scattered and smaller. So now the father can stay home to help.

      And perhaps you are overlooking that in some ways, paternity leave is not a feminist political charge, but a response to the State making everything more expensive through its mandates and market distortions, particularly the costs of labor. If nannies could be hired without employment taxes and minimum wage laws, paternity leave would likely be less prevalent. But they aren't, and families are more scattered, so employees have increasingly demanded paternity leave at companies.

      And full disclosure, I am a business partner and not an employee, so employment paternity policies do not affect me.

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  7. What developmental science indicates the need for fathers to be present 24/7 during the first two months? There is none of which I am aware. If Bernadette or Perry can reference scientific literature that points out the need for constant fatherly attention, that would be helpful.

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    1. There is a worldwide computer database called the Internet. Consider using it.

      And I said nothing about "need". I am making the case that developmental science is supportive of a father's presence to (1) establish a bond with children, and (2) help the wife.

      You don't "have" to do these things. Frankly, it's a luxury in the modern world. But it's not crazy. It's not crazy to love your kids and get to know them early. And that bond will support them in the long run.

      Oh, and I've never taken more than 2 weeks off for 'paternity' leave. Which is among the busiest times I work, from cooking, helping, childrearing, shopping; it's actually a bit of a nightmare work-wise but I find it to be worth it.

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    2. I actually don't believe that paternity leave is a "need" or even necessary! My assumption from this announcement has always been a changed base of operations without any work disruption at all.


      I continued working from home during all my maternity leaves until I quit working in the late 90's so there is no question in my mind that the guy will continue working during his leave, and there is nothing in any leave policy that I know of preventing him from stepping foot in the office during a leave nor would it be unheard of for top execs to meet at another execs home.

      Robert seems to think paternity leave = no working. I disagree based on my personal experience. We don't know on what exactly he is basing his opinion.

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    3. Perry,

      I've read some (of course, not all) of the developmental science and none that I have ever read said that it was critical for a father to be present 24/7 for "bonding." Parent-child bonding is more of a slow cement dry that takes time. Those that advocate extended paternity/maternity leaves appear to be under the mistaken impression that if they are not home 24/7 during the first couple of months, they will miss out on that bonding time. It's the bonding myth.

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  8. My wife and I raised two children successfully and I'm with RW on this one. The first couple of weeks are a challenge but being at work for 8 to 10 hours a day leaves plenty of time for father to assist mother and "bond" with the child. Early child rearing is very labor intensive and sharing the load is much appreciated but 24/7 by both parents is not necessary. And regarding learning, babies are learning machines. Feed them and give them a safe environment and learning is all they do. No need to spoon feed knowledge as you won't be able to keep up with them. It is however a joy to watch so I understand the desire to spend time with them. But suggesting that parental leave is the new normal or that men and women must swap traditional roles to fully experience life seems a bit over the top. But each to his own.

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    1. Brian, there is nothing you wrote that I disagree with. So you aren't with Robert on this one.

      You are saying there are benefits, but it isn't necessary. That's what I'm saying.

      Robert says it's crazy and calls it goo goo ga ga time. He jumped the shark on this one I'm afraid.

      But worries, I still like him a lot!

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  9. If a man stays home for weeks at a time to help with a newborn, it is all but guaranteed that the majority of his time at home will be spent doing things completely unrelated to the baby.

    I have 4 children under the age of 6. When each child's birth I spent at the most a week at home. As excited as I was for each birth, as a father, there was little I could do for a newborn in those first days and weeks. Sure I could hold them and change diapers, and give my wife an occasional break, but I couldn't breastfeed them and watching them sleep 18-20 hours a day seemed a little silly. After a week, both my wife and I were ready for me to get out of the house and back to work.

    As uncomfortable as it may be to hear for many people, men and women have different roles. And call me crazy, but I have never met a man who is better suited than a woman, for taking care of an infant. One of my primary roles as a husband and father is to provide for my family. I find that staying home for an extended period of time for paternity leave is incompatible with that role. My wife is better suited for taking care of a newborn and my staying home would just annoy and hinder her.

    I think it is a sad day when men reject the traditional gender roles and try to be something they aren't adequately suited to be.

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  10. 2 months is kind of ridiculous. Especially for a man with his own company. It's not like he's a well to-do contractor that can pick up jobs at a pace he wants.

    Guys, I see where Robert is coming from and I agree with him, this sort of thing is just another oddity that lefties are happy to promote in their quest to wreck traditional family structure and gender norms. Not a big deal for Mark to do this personally- probably good for him to be distracted as politically he is a bad guy like Gates/Buffet - but nevertheless it will be used to promoted excessive paternity leave with the goal of mandating it as a benefit down the road.

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