Father makes video to share how taking seven weeks of paternity leave changed his perspective on motherhood.
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The arrival of a newborn in a home always brings many changes and adaptations to the routine, and for a mother who has just gone through childbirth, some extra help is crucial. Caleb Remington realized this when he took paternity leave when his second child was born.
Remington used his social media to share how transformative it was to take seven weeks off and how the experience changed his view of motherhood and the reality of a home with children. “Unfortunately, it’s the end of my maternity, paternity leave,” Remington jokes at the beginning of his video. “I joke because my wife is really the man of the house. Call me whatever you want, but I’m totally fine with that.”
He then talks about how the days at home made him feel guilty for not doing the same when his firstborn was born: “It made me realize how many of those little moments I missed the first time, but I’m letting go of that guilt and grateful to have had some time to make up for it,” he says.
Throughout the video, we see the father performing routine household tasks such as washing dishes, laundry, and sweeping the floor; simple things that, with two small children, become complex challenges. It’s not easy to keep a house organized, clean, and still ensure that the children are fed, happy, and cared for.
Doing a fair share of housework is something Remington admits to have failed at the first time. However, spending a few weeks taking on more responsibilities made him realize that what he previously considered to be his “fair share” was, in fact, doing “the bare minimum.”
Remington’s story is an excellent example of how paternity leave is important, and for him, it was eye-opening: “These last seven weeks really opened my eyes to how the house really works, and 110% of that is because of my wife.”