Joyce Fegan: Why taking paternity leave is an act of rebellion

'As we return to the workplace, let's keep talking about the realities of our lives and the impossible choices we face everyday as we try to balance care work with paid work'

We live in a working world that was designed decades ago. It was designed around a man who wouldn’t get pregnant, needing neither leave for early pregnancy loss or maternity cover, and it was designed without family in mind, full stop.

IN our public debates about care, we talk in terms of money: the cost of crèche; how many weeks and euros in maternity and paternity benefit the State gives; and if, or by how much, an employer will top it up.

In our private conversations, we talk in terms of care: how we want to do right by our children; wondering are we good enough parents and spending enough quality time with our children; figuring out how do you get them to eat broccoli. or anything for that matter; and asking ourselves if going for a run on our own is selfish.