The Naughty Baptist

On Parental Leave

(This is a twitter thread I posted earlier. I've collected it here to make it a bit easier to read. I've kept it the same except for some formatting and changing some links)

A Thread on parental leave. (I removed "brief" from this)

If you did not know, all my kids are adopted. We adopted 2 sibling groups of 2.

The adoption for the younger two was finalized in 2018, when I was working at Focus Lab.

As we moved closer to the adoption date, I contacted Kellie the HR person and asked if their policy applied to adoption. As I recall, the written policy was unclear on this. She checked with the cofounders Erik Reagan and Bill Kenney told her (basically) "We don't care what it says, adoptions definitely count. If it's not clear, rewrite the policy."

So here's what happened:

I was encouraged to not only take 6 weeks off, but they let me put it off until the next summer. We didn't know the exact date of the adoption until just before, so to make it easier we agreed to just schedule it 9 months away (which was a coincidence, but still funny)

They not only rewrote the policy, but actively asked for my input. I only had a couple of suggestions but (again, as I recall) they were implemented.

After the adoption, I came into the office to find 6 sets of Mickey Mouse ears on my desk, a gift from my coworkers.

In conclusion:

Focus Lab did not give me parental leave because it's mandated by the law. They did it because it's the right thing to do and they're not assholes.

Seriously, it's that simple.

It should be the law, and everyone should have the same opportunity.

I see lots of people ridiculing the idea of parental leave, especially for dads. Those people are assholes.

I'm assuming they would be appalled that I took leave for kids who aren't even my biological kids.

Most that I've seen call themselves pro-life. They are not.

Many of them call themselves Christian. They are not.

And before you pull out every hypocrites favorite shield, Matthew 7:1, you better read verse 2:

"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Feel free to judge me by this standard, folks. I believe families matter.

Also, in that same chapter (vs 16) you'll find "By their fruit you will recognize them."

If your fruit is ridiculing men who love their kids, there is nothing of Christ within you.

You don't like that? Good, you shouldn't like it.

Repent.

Because this is not a political issue. It's a Christian one. Pro-life, pro-family Christians should support this, no question.

But most who use those labels are just pro-capitalism, to the detriment of everyone.

Repent of that, too.