Saga To Offer Employees Paid Leave On The Birth Of A Grandchild

To be honest I think it’s ridiculous. If the partner already has paid leave how many more people do you need to look after one baby. Where does it stop? Allowing the next door neighbour paid leave to help with the baby? Very likely to be abused I suspect. Single parent with no other support might be an exception.

Gwyneth my daughter had a caesarean section with both her babies. She wasn't allowed to drive for six weeks and couldn't do much round the house. I went more to look after her as she recovered from the surgery, rather than the baby.

When my GSs wife had a caesarean she and baby were looked after very well by him, ok if there are other children more help would be good but I do think it’s OTT to be honest.

Just had a quick look at the link.

Seems that some firms are now offering ‘pawternity’- paid leave to care for a new puppy!

Give me strength!

The grandparents one was OTT, but this…..

Waiting for the onslaught from all the GN dog lovers.

?

How so politically correct, and ridiculous,no wonder Saga is one of the most expensive for everything it sells. It is going to be more so now. People have holidays, they can use that for this, as others have to.

Calendargirl

Just had a quick look at the link.

Seems that some firms are now offering ‘pawternity’- paid leave to care for a new puppy!

Give me strength!

The grandparents one was OTT, but this…..

Waiting for the onslaught from all the GN dog lovers.

?

No no no. Ridiculous again.

tanith

When my GSs wife had a caesarean she and baby were looked after very well by him, ok if there are other children more help would be good but I do think it’s OTT to be honest.

I had two CSs and managed well with just my hubby. In those days, there wasn't any paternity leave, so I was on my own for most of the time. I couldn't have managed with my mother or mother-in-law faffing about.

Saga appealing to their core demographic. A neat move for a niche market of employees. Won’t affect that many staff (geography, estrangement issues for example) but good P.R.

Why are people so dismissive of these initiatives?

Saga specialises in services for the over 50s so an appropriate move I think; and the makers of Whiskas and Pedigree Chum are offering 'pawternity' leave

Sounds good to me!

And Gransnet got a mention too.

V3ra

Gwyneth my daughter had a caesarean section with both her babies. She wasn't allowed to drive for six weeks and couldn't do much round the house. I went more to look after her as she recovered from the surgery, rather than the baby.

I had C sections for all three girls and while MIL came for a week after the first was born (no paternity leave in those days) our tiny flat didn’t have room for a helpful Gran when D2 was born so I somehow coped - or probably didn’t. (DH had to take leave/holiday to look after our 2 year old while I was in hospital). By the time I had D3 MIL and FIL had come to stay to look after the girls while I was in hospital for the week and MIL stayed on for just a few days when we came home.
I’m not knocking the concept of “parental” leave but when it comes to fathers *and grandparents ,-unless Mum is a single parent, I think that is just silly.
To be fair, back in the day we got 7 days in hospital after a C section but now mums are home much much sooner and as far as I can see with less postnatal (Midwife/health visitor) support than I got. I think that has been eroded too far.

Giving paternal leave or grandparent leave would have made more sense.

As for puppy leave, that is the pet-food manufacturers seeing a gimmick that will mark them out to potential customers as an organisation that cares. Our guinea pig had four adorable babies, maybe I should have stayed by their side all day. Actually, I could have watched them 24/7, they were so cute - the same is true of puppies, but at what point is the puppy owner going to end the pupternity leave and go back to work, leaving the dog suddenly alone?

MayBeMaw I was home next day after my second CS, at my request, so that I could get some sleep. I suspected I'd have to have a second CS, so organised my bedroom with loads of pillows and a chair, so that I could hold and feed the baby comfortably. The shower was next door, which I managed without help. I couldn't carry the baby up and down stairs, so my hubby had to help, but that was about it. My first child had just started school and I was able to walk with her after a few days. Everything else was manageable, if you take care of the scar. I didn't even see a midwife/health visitor after the second baby (24 years ago), which suited me fine. The few weeks we were able to spend together as a family without intrusions were some of the best of my life.

How will small businesses afford this: paying an employee while absent and possibly funding a replacement?
It might be necessary to allow the right to unpaid leave, but if the father has paternity leave then it really shouldn't be required. I notice some fathers delay their paternity leave until their wife has recovered, while grandparents coped, so they could enjoy time together ie have a rest.
I do take the point about the longer stays in hospital following C sections or difficult births that our generation enjoyed, when we were nursed and rested.

Madness what a stupid idea Take your two week annual holiday like we always have done
I had my first baby at 21 (breech birth and hemorrhage because of afterbirth removal not completed, with no family anywhere near me , we all survived ….for my other two I was back in U.K. and my mum came for a week to help with the older children It’s manageable for the vast majority and as the country economically is on its knees couldn’t have been discussed at a worse time in my opinion

Elegran

Giving paternal leave or grandparent leave would have made more sense.

That would be an excellent move, Elegran. And would benefit those single mums who often need most support.

I took annual leave when my second grandchild was born. I looked after the older one while my son was with his partner at the hospital. Lots of people must do this, so a couple of days grandparent leave would be welcome.

Goodness me, the things people get upset about.

A company I used to work for used to give us Tesco vouchers and a turkey every Xmas. Blooming PC gone mad, pandering to people. Shouldn't be allowed.

Ridiculous.

Well done Growstuff although it seems harsh.
Mine were 1975 ,1977, and 1981 and elective sections (plus an emergency one in 1973 who died at 3 weeks) Living in a first floor flat when I could not carry the carrycot part of the pram upstairs or lift or carry the 2 year-old was hard
I had not appreciated things had changed by the late 90’s.
But this is not competitive.
I think Elegran has got it right when she suggests paternal/grandparents leave which could be interchangeable.

I think it’s silly too. If the partner is around, then it’s for them to support. No partner...then could be re thought, but mainly, I think there’s too much involvement from grandparents already.

Alegrias1

Goodness me, the things people get upset about.

A company I used to work for used to give us Tesco vouchers and a turkey every Xmas. Blooming PC gone mad, pandering to people. Shouldn't be allowed.

Exactly! Many companies offer all sorts of perks. I don't suppose Saga cares that much about grandparents or their grandchildren, but it looks good from a PR perspective and it will have been costed in the same way that staff discounts are.

Although I would have hated to have grandparents around, it's something some will appreciate and presumably saves them some money from not having to take holidays from work.

I assume Saga is responsible for the PR release about this, which won't have done them any harm.

Exactly growstuff.

Company whose main customers are grandparents gives its employees who are grandparents extra holiday. Its hardly the end of civilisation.

I don't remember it as being harsh MayBeMaw. I was made to stay in hospital after the birth of my first child and I hated it. When I knew I was pregnant again and that it would probably be a repeat CS, I decided I would do everything I could not to have to go through the same post-natal nightmare. I suppose some women do appreciate more support, but I knew I wouldn't. I just hope for those women like me that having people around doesn't become the norm.