[Scenic Sounds]

Maternity and paternity are the Real Life, and the job is what pays the rent. There's something deeply wrong with the idea of taking a few weeks of "vacation" to be a parent!

I'm not sure I understand that part. Could you flesh that out for me?

[Tax-chick]

Whoa, asking me to make sense? Your mileage may vary! But what I'm trying to say, is that once people are married and produce children, the main thing they're going to do of lasting value is to parent those children. Parents will be held responsible for what the children do, legally for many years, and to some extent eternally. (If you're not a Christian, disregard that last bit - the concept works on a secular level, too.)

So what's your Real Life? Is it your job? If so, the concept of "paternity leave" makes sense - a little break to play Daddy, just like you'd take a little break to go skiing. But if you define yourself first as a husband (you married her, after all!) and then as a father (you were there, too ...) then it's almost like you're taking "leave" from fatherhood to go be a (doctor, lawyer, engineer, Indian chief).

Did that clarify, or muddle further? The point is what you, I, anybody, think their life is really ABOUT.