{
  "id": 4200361,
  "title": "I took 10 weeks of parental leave but couldn't fully leave work behind",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/i-took-10-weeks-of-parental-leave-but-couldnt-fully-leave-work-behind",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-29T13:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Channel News Asia",
    "slug": "channel-news-asia",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/today/voices/paternity-leave-childcare-father-fatherhood-workplace-work-life-balance-6344816"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Xander Ong, a father of two, argues that paternal support must go beyond simply providing time off from work. When Ong became a father in 2023, he expected that a two to three month absence from work would be sufficient for him to adapt to his new role as a parent. However, he found that it took four months before he felt comfortable as a father. The challenge of balancing his responsibilities as a father with those of his job became apparent again in October 2025, when Ong had his second child.\n\nEven though Ong worked for the Centre for Fathering, a non-profit organization dedicated to fatherhood, he still struggled to fully disconnect from work. He found himself constantly thinking about the work responsibilities and the impact of his absence from the team. As the chief executive officer, Ong felt the pressure to maintain a strong presence for his company, even though his mind was primarily focused on his family.\n\nOng's experience highlights the ongoing struggle many fathers face in reconciling their dual roles as caregivers and employees. While paternity leave has become legally protected, with fathers now entitled to four weeks of government-paid leave, only about 61% of fathers took advantage of this during the 2024 birth year, up from 47% in 2016. Despite this progress, nearly four in 10 fathers still do not take paternity leave, often due to personal and practical concerns.\n\nWorkplace culture also plays a significant role in discouraging fathers from taking paternity leave. Many workplaces have yet to fully adapt to the idea of fathers as caregivers, and subtle disapproval from colleagues and managers can make fathers feel less committed to their work when they take leave. This can reinforce the notion that mothers are the primary caregivers, despite the crucial role fathers play in a child's upbringing.\n\nThe recent announcement of more childcare leave days by the Prime Minister aims to provide fathers with greater opportunities to care for their children. However, if workplace disapproval persists, it may hinder the uptake of these benefits. Employers should therefore be encouraged to support fathers who take leave, helping to increase its usage and further promote a more balanced approach to family life.",
  "summary": "For dads to be engaged caregivers, support cannot end with granting them time away from work, father-of-two Xander Ong says.",
  "key_points": [
    "Xander Ong took 10 weeks of parental leave for his second child in 2025.",
    "Ong struggled to disconnect from work responsibilities during leave.",
    "Only 61% of fathers took advantage of four weeks government-paid paternity leave in 2024."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}