WANTED: PATERNITY LEAVE
Or want to take a leave Several actors have taken before and after the birth of their children, calling it an important experience
Taking an official leave to welcome the arrival of a newborn is not only a mother’s role, and new daddies in the celebrity world are proving just that. Setting some serious dad goals are these new doting fathers and to-be dads advocating paternity leaves.
Actor Saif Ali Khan, who recently welcomed a second baby boy with wife-actor Kareena Kapoor Khan, is at present taking time off to spend with the newborn.
In an interview previously, he spoke about the significance of paternity leave and shared, “Who wants to work when you have a newborn at home? If you don’t see your children growing up, you’re making a mistake.”
In December, cricketer Virat Kohli, too, took a break and returned to India after the 1st Test, for the delivery for his daughter, Vamika with actor Anushka Sharma. The decision received both appreciation and criticism from fans. While many commended the move, others trolled him over ‘dereliction of national duty’. However, during an informal conversation with cricketer Steve Smith, Kohli said, “As committed as you are to play for your country this is a very special moment in life that you want to be there for at any cost.”
Comedian-actor Kapil Sharma, too, recently opted for a paternity leave. The new-age fathers are ready to get a hands-on experience and break gender stereotypes.
For actor Nakuul Mehta who recently had his first child, baby boy Sufi with wife Jankee Parekh Mehta, it is about feeling equal partners in the process. “I’m glad I have been able to carve out this time just as Jankee has taken a sabbatical. It is imperative for the father in today’s day and age to be as involved. It has made me an equal partner in developing this bond which happens quite naturally with a mother.”
Actor Mohit Malik who is prepping up for the arrival of the little one with wife Aditi Shirwaikar Malik is all up for taking a break as he doesn’t want to miss the experience. He says, “It’s very important for any individual to experience this if they have the liberty to take time off. Luckily, my show got over recently, and I have been telling makers of the new shows offered to me that I’d need 15 days off, before and after my baby’s birth.”
Does the concept help at all to break gender stereotypes? Mehta shares, “I feel it also
gives the child an opportunity to witness the sharing of parental and care-giving responsibilities between the two genders, rather than boxing women into the role of caregivers and men into the role of providers. This may be only subconscious but plays a huge role into helping to break the cycle of patriarchy in the mind of the child.”