The Benefits of Paternity Leave for Dads, Moms, and Kids

When dads take leave, everyone wins — including dads

We’re two dads and educators who’ve spent over a decade studying how men can be better allies to women. We’ve long known that parental leave benefits mothers and babies. But here’s what we’re just beginning to fully appreciate: when fathers take meaningful leave and step fully into caregiving, the benefits ripple out to everyone, including fathers themselves. Here are the biggest payoffs for dads, moms, and children:

Dads who take leave are happier: Men who take parental leave report greater overall well-being and lower stress and fatigue. And the benefits of paternal leave are remarkable for moms as well as dads. When fathers take leave and become full caregiving partners, mothers experience better mental health outcomes, including greater well-being, lower stress, and reduced symptoms of postpartum depression.

Dads become better caregivers: Ben Reyes, a Washington, DC, lawyer, took paternal leave as his wife wrapped up her maternity leave. He used that time to transition their daughter from breastfeeding to bottle feeding and to establish sleep routines. “My leave paved the way to do that. It was crucial to our family dynamic.”

Without this dedicated time, many fathers never develop true competence as caregivers. As researcher Brad Harrington notes, “If the father never has solo time with children, that caregiver skill set won’t develop,” locking couples into traditional gender roles and limiting career possibilities for mothers.

Dads build stronger lifetime bonds with partners and children: The benefits for heterosexual couples extend beyond the newborn phase. Fathers who take leave report improved relationships with their partners in the long term. This foundation of shared caregiving even correlates with couples staying married longer.

The bonds built with children in those first weeks don’t fade, either. Children whose fathers took paternity leave report closer relationships with their dads, better communication, and more involvement from them.

Companies and fathers both need to act: To help more families experience these positive outcomes, companies need to normalize paternal leave — not as a nice-to-have, but as essential. And more fathers need to take the full leave offered to them. When they do this, they’re not just supporting their families; they’re reducing stigma for everyone else who takes leave and building the foundation for more equal, happy partnerships at home and at work.

— Brad Johnson and David Smith, authors of Fair Share and Good Guys