Paternity leave, a paid break from work for new fathers, has been a hot topic in the news lately. Politicians are voicing their opinions on the subject and companies such as Netflix are offering paternity leave that goes above and beyond what the law requires.
Peabody Award-winning journalist Josh Levs became a fighter for this cause after he being denied paternity leave while working at CNN. He fought for his right to spend the early stage of life with his child and won. Now, he is working hard so that more men (and women) can take the leave that they and their families deserve with the book All In: How Our Work-First Culture Fails Dads, Families, and Businesses — and How We Can Fix It Together.
All In is a reasoned argument for why paid leave should be available and accessible to all fathers. Levs points out it not only strengthens the bond between father/child and husband/wife, but also makes financial sense and promotes equality. But what was surprising for me about the book, is that it is much more than just a case for paternity leave. Levs writes about work/life balance, dads in pop culture, fatherlessness, and even sex within a partnership after kids arrive. There really is something in his book for every father.
I read many parenting books and All In is now one of my favorite books on fatherhood. Even though much of the book hits on the business side of fatherhood, the book is written in a way that is informative, engaging, and entertaining. All In is that rare parenting book that covers the whole fatherhood gambit.
A version of this first appeared on One Good Dad.
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