I hate the way Marissa Meyer is being scrutinized and criticized for her decision not to take a lot of maternity leave. Meyer has little or nothing in common with the average tech worker. She is a CEO of a major corporation. Who should take time off work after her children are born? Her husband, of course! Would anyone suggest her male colleagues, CEOs of say Google and Facebook, should take 3 or 6 months off after the birth of their children? Will Zuckerberg be taking more than a couple of weeks paternity leave?
It should be obvious from my own life decisions that I am a big fan of taking time off after the birth of children. However, above all, I’m in favor of choices for women and men. I would like parents to have the option of taking a year off, of scaling back their hours after kids are born. However, I would also like women to have the option to lean in and let their husbands step up in those early days if they so choose. My father worked long hours when my sister and I were young; does that make him a bad parent? If I were the CEO of Yahoo, I might choose to take minimal leave as well.
I’ll be returning to work in a couple of weeks at 50% time. I’ll work Wednesday through Friday and take a half day on one of those days. I had a chat with a couple of my bosses today, and after a lot of stress getting this all worked out, I’m optimistic and excited. I think it’s going to go well.
It’s going to be rough leaving this little angel, though.
Seriously. She said Mama tonight for the first time.
But I’ll give it a go.
I am 100% with you on having choices, and she’s lucky to have the means to be able to make the one she wants. I think the enabler here is probably less her husband and more her nanny. Especially with twins. Honestly, it took both of us to make it through that first 6 months. Women that try to take care of all the baby needs for twins without help seem to end up crying uncle and hiring help around 3 months in.
Oh, I’m sure you’re right in Meyer’s case. She probably has multiple nannies.