Having a baby is back in fashion. Open a celebrity magazine and you will see picture after picture of pregnant celebrities, or celebrities with their babies and toddlers.
The signs of a new trend are unmistakable, especially at Orono High School, where a baby boom is trending among the teachers. Over seven teachers and/or teachers spouses have already given birth to a child this school year.
Male teacher’s in the Orono school district receive two weeks of paid paternity leave when their wife has a baby. In contrast, female teachers in the Orono school district receive six weeks of paid maternity leave when they have their baby.
Social studies teacher Andy Gagnon said “I definitely wish I could have had more time off; the first year of development is so important.”
If development were to be broken down, after just four weeks of birth the child has not even cracked their first real smile.
Some students see a teacher’s absence because of maternity leave as a disruption in the flow of class, such as the maternity leave of English teacher Grace Nohner.
Some countries are given one full year off when they have their child. This way a sub will be committed for a year and can adapt new styles of teaching.
According to the Huffington Post, “in Sweden, parents are given 480 paid days per child, to be shared between them and used anytime before the kid turns eight.”
At school, teachers first address principal David Benson about their planned time of leave. Then the teacher will interview various substitutes to take their position. Once the ideal sub is found, said sub will sit in on the class to fully understand how the teacher runs his/her classroom.
According to USA Today, “The Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires only that companies with 50 or more employees guarantee 12 weeks of unpaid leave to new mothers.”
A report of childhood development from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child at Harvard University, found that “early parent-child bonding is critical because it helps ensure good health, well-being and success into adulthood.”
Neighboring school districts, such as Minnetonka, grant as much time off to the father as the mother. “Having him home was absolutely necessary. It’s just as important to have the father home as the mother,” English teacher Jessica Frie said.
Not only is coming back to school quickly after leave hard on the teacher’s home life, but it is difficult for them at school, as well.
“Even with a good sub, there is going to be some cost at the students’ expense, ” Gagnon said.
Although Spanish teacher Robbie Smalling felt that the amount of time he received when his wife had their baby to be insufficient, he also said that “teachers are unique in that they get 10 weeks off over the summer.”
Have you heard the phrase “sleep like a baby?” Whoever coined this phrase must not have raised a child. “By age 3 months, and sometimes as early as 2 months, most infants are sleeping through the night,” according to Web MD. This means bleary-eyed teachers and teachers spouses are returning to work sleep deprived.
Teachers like Nicole Brenna and Stephanie Hillman who are due towards the end of the school year, are lucky enough to take off three to four weeks during school and use the summer as a majority of their time off. They will return to school rested, refreshed, and ready for a new year of school.
Who will be the next teacher at Orono to continue the baby trend? Stay tuned, we will have to wait for the new year to see.
