Lounge access will start your trip off on the right foot, we promise
Flying with kids is not something anyone looks forward to. There are so many things that could go wrong from blowouts to inconsolable toddlers to forgotten pacifiers and uncharged devices. As a travel editor, I’ve taken hundreds of flights with my kids, and some I would rather forget (like the flight with my can’t-sit-still-toddler when it felt like I was wrestling a 40 lb. carp for 4+ hours).
I recently flew on Alaska Airlines with my three kids and was pleasantly surprised by all the thoughtful elements the airline offers to make traveling with kids a little bit easier. Here is what I learned about flying Alaska Airlines with kids and my recommendations for making your travel experience even more comfortable for the whole family (hello, lounge access!).
What you need to know about flying with kids on Alaska Airlines:
Alaska Airlines guarantees that kids 13 and under will be seated with at least one accompanying adult as long as you book your reservation together (and subject to some additional terms).
Preboarding is offered for families traveling with little ones aged two and under. Lap infants (under the age of two) also fly free!
Car seats and strollers fly free, so you don’t have to worry about paying baggage fees for these items.
Meals for kids on Alaska Airlines
When your flight is long enough to offer meal service, you’ll definitely want to pre-order one of the Kid’s Choice Picnic Packs for your little travelers. Not only do they come with kid favorites like Pirate’s Booty, applesauce, and gummi bears, but you’ll get a retro-fabulous Wikki Stix Play Pack to keep them busy from takeoff to landing. I’ve known a few adults who might enjoy playing with these as well!
Additional Alaska Airlines offerings to make your journey easy
Lounge Access Start your travel day off on the right foot by visiting an Alaska Lounge before your departure. Access to the lounge is included with certain ticket levels or you can purchase a day pass as available. I especially enjoy accessing an Alaska Lounge when traveling with my kids because they can fill up on snacks and have a quieter area of the airport to relax before boarding the plane. Be sure you look for the pancake machine as kids will get a huge kick out of it!
Elite Leave Program
There’s no denying it; having a baby can change you from a jet setter to a homebody in a flash. Alaska Airlines recognizes this and offers the Elite Leave Program to allow you to keep your Mileage Plan™ elite status for another year during your pregnancy or parental leave.
Fly for All app
Traveling with a nervous flyer or a neurodivergent child? I definitely recommend you check out Alaska Airlines’ Fly for All app as it provides a social story that will show you what is going to happen every step of the journey from the airport to the flight.
—photos courtesy of Alaska Airlines
Note: This trip was paid for by Alaska Airlines, but all opinions expressed here belong to the writer.
A Scottish mom unboxed her government-provided baby box on social media, and it really highlights how countries like the U.S. completely fail to support moms
It’s really no secret that new moms in the U.S. get way less support than in many other countries in the world. We’re the only developed country in the world that doesn’t mandate paid parental leave. Other countries with similar GDP to the U.S. contribute around $14,000 per child per year toward subsidizing childcare, while in the U.S., we only spend around $500, leaving the rest of the burden on parents. And in case you needed another reason to throw your hands up in frustration, a Scottish mom unboxed the baby box she (and all other moms in her country) received for free from the government, and it really shines a light on how much more could—and should—be done for expecting parents everywhere.
Every family in Scotland is entitled to this baby box when they’re expecting a new arrival, the mom in the video explains, as she unboxes a package covered in fun designs that are ready to be colored. It’s made that way so that if you have older kids, they can color the box to help prepare it for their new younger sibling. Or, in this mom’s case, she’s planning to color it herself as a relaxing activity during the final weeks of her pregnancy.
After opening the box, she starts sharing everything that comes inside, for free, compliments of the Scottish government.
“Inside is an envelope on how to breastfeed… some maternity pads and breast pads, a gorgeous play mat, which is absolutely massive… a tummy time book…a teething toy, a thermometer, a bath and room thermometer, some essential bits like a sponge and some nail files for your baby.”
The box also includes a cute baby blanket with a plush giraffe head on the corner, a travel changing mat, a baby-carrying wrap, and tons of gender-neutral clothes and pajamas in different sizes up to six months. After showing off the accessories, which included hats, bibs, mittens, and socks, the mom shared that the box also included condoms, because why not. Oh, and a hooded towel, blankets, sheets, and a mattress to fit inside the box, because it’s made to be used as your baby’s first bed.
Oh yeah, and did we mention all of this is free? For every new mom? I know we did, but just wanted to point it out one more time. As tons of the comments on the video mentions, baby boxes in the U.S. include things like “thoughts and prayers,” “get back to work in three days,” and “a $13,000 hospital bill.”
Sigh. It’s just another reminder of how much more we could do to support women and families if we just prioritized them the way other countries do. So here’s your friendly reminder to vote for politicians who believe that moms and families deserve more.
WalletHub’s annual report shows where working moms have the best access to childcare and professional opportunities
Women make up almost half of the U.S. workforce, and 73 percent of women with children under 18 were working in 2022. But despite the fact that being a working parent is the reality for the majority of moms in this country, it still isn’t an easy path. Working moms face discrimination, pay inequality, and other battles that should be a thing of the past, but sadly, still aren’t. Only 8.2 percent of S&P 500 companies’ chief executives are women, and women still only earn, on average, 82 percent of what men do (that’s white women, for the record—the gap is much larger for women of color). And even across the United States, the playing field isn’t equal for working moms—that’s where WalletHub’s new study comes in.
Each year, the finance site ranks U.S. states to determine which ones are the best (and worst) for working moms. Its 2023 rankings are in, and the results may surprise you. Ready to pack your bags? These 10 states are considered the best places to be a working mom:
1. Massachusetts
2. Rhode Island
3. Connecticut
4. District of Columbia
5. Wisconsin
6. Minnesota
7. Vermont
8. New Jersey
9. Maine
10. Delaware
On the flip side, these 10 states are considered the worst:
42. Arizona
43. Nevada
44. Oklahoma
45. New Mexico
46. Idaho
47. West Virginia
48. Mississippi
49. Alabama
50. South Carolina
51. Louisiana
To determine its rankings, WalletHub looks at three main factors that greatly impact the quality of life (and work) for working moms: child care, professional opportunities, and work-life balance. Each state is given scores based on things like the cost of daycare, how many pediatricians it has per capita, its gender pay gap, ratio of female-to-male executives, parental leave policies, and more.
“Working parents (not just mothers) need to be not only welcomed into, but really driving the conversations about how to rethink workplace culture, workforce expectations, and work-life negotiation,” said Jennifer L. Borda, a professor of communication at the University of New Hampshire and one of the experts consulted on the study. “There is a diverse population caring for children now, so being attuned to how different workers have different needs and how those needs may shift and evolve over time. For example, LGBTQ+ workers may have different needs than cisgender/heterosexual couples… Work should not be, can no longer be, one size fits all.”
I was seven months pregnant with my first daughter when an acquaintance asked me about my plans for maternity leave. I was lucky, I told her. My employer provided eighteen weeks of paid leave. During my leave, I figured I could stay on top of what was happening at work while the baby slept, answering emails and hopping on to e-meetings. “I’ll probably be ready to go back pretty quickly,” I told her. “I’m not sure how I’ll handle the slower pace of staying at home with a newborn.”
Up until that point, I had managed to spin every plate life brought me. I had been leaning hard into my career, juggling multiple high-stakes projects with a bustling personal life. I had a couple of degrees, a successful job, and so far, a lot of unrealistic expectations about motherhood. Like many parents, I thought I knew a whole lot about having a child before I even had one. I thought I could do it all.
And then my baby came.
The joy that came with holding my little one for the first time soon morphed into something I’d never experienced before: a type of whole-body, whole-brain exhaustion that rendered me pretty much useless at anything besides keeping my baby alive. As predicted, I did have a good portion of my days free while my baby slept. But I was hardly functional during those hours because my daughter was up all night. In the first few months of my daughter’s life, I was so woozy I could hardly hold a conversation with my husband— let alone my manager or a colleague.
And then there was breastfeeding. I was determined to make it work because I knew about the health benefits for me and the baby. But I can count at least half a dozen times I almost threw in the towel. I spent night after night awake with my screaming infant trying to feed, wondering when I’d start to feel normal again—when I’d begin to feel at home in my body, when I’d get a full night’s sleep, and when the edge of anxiety constantly grating on me would finally dissipate.
I thought back to my passing comment about maternity leave. Even three solid months into motherhood, I wasn’t near ready to go back to work. I was stressed all the time, my daughter was still struggling to feed, and if you asked me about self-care, I would have stared at you blankly. I remember trying to come up with a way to pamper myself and remember I was a person, too. All I could come up with was thirty seconds of flossing my teeth, but it felt glorious. In other words: I was stretched close to my breaking point. Having to worry about finances or get myself together to go to work after being awake all night would have done me in.
Even so, I was among the small percentage of parents who actually have access to paid leave. Parents without that same privilege would be forced to choose between their baby’s health and their own well-being and a third variable: either working or taking time off without pay.
Once I had the luxury of sleeping through the night again (it took a good year), I realized parental leave isn’t just a nice add-on to a benefits package. It’s an essential, a human right. Our mental and physical health hinges on it. Motivated by my experience, I started advocating for better-paid leave policies and coaching friends to approach their managers about improving benefits. I joined the board of an organization that advocates for paid medical and family leave for all Americans. And just last year, I went all in. I quit my job and started a platform dedicated to educating parents on how to make choices for their family’s well-being called Exhale Parent. Exhale’s central content is a trove of information about understanding and navigating through parental leave, which I personally knew to be incredibly confusing. Because of my time in the trenches of early motherhood, I want to help other parents earn the rights they deserve.
Looking back, there are some things I’d do differently with my first baby. Had I known the struggle that was ahead—and how essential parental leave is for a family’s well-being—I would have recalibrated my expectations for my leave. And when my friend asked me about my plans for maternity leave, I would have skipped the self-serving answer. Instead, I would have told her I was going to soak in every minute of time with my baby, because even the longest, most exhausting days pass by too fast.
Founder & CEO of Exhale Parent and Diapertainment, Board Member, and former Private Equity executive; graduate of Yale and Harvard Business School; Mom of 3 littles.
Had you told us that things would get worse for moms, it would have been inconceivable. Women were already exiting the workforce at 43%, losing 10% of their earning power for every child they have, and straddling their roles at work with their roles of CEO at home, at the cost of career progression. Now, those privileged enough to still hold jobs, they face additional challenges with regard to childcare, virtual school needs, less ability to outsource, strapped finances, more meals, and clean up at home…things have gone from overwhelming to unmanageable. Too many women are in too deep to sound the alarms.
“People are very nervous about taking days off. Just so busy. All the moms are working until 1 a.m. There’s no good solution.” — Parent Employee Resource Group Leader
Helping moms make it to shore depends on our partners, our companies and us
Dads Need to Step Up—Even the “Good Ones”
Not all households have a mom and dad, but when they do, childcare responsibilities still disproportionately fall on moms. And today, with childcare and home responsibilities only increasing, women are shouldering most of the work and it’s disrupting their careers. Perception further complicates the labor distribution. As the NYTimes article with the same headline describes, “Nearly half of men say they do most of the homeschooling; 3% of women agree.” Cloudy perception in theoretically shared responsibilities implicitly creates a culture of invisible work–in other words, work without recognition or perceived value.
We heard this in discussions we held with parent Employee Resource Group advocates and leaders as we sought to understand how their companies are supporting caregivers during this pandemic. The sense of exhaustion and despair, with no end in sight, is palpable. A recent study showed that moms have reduced their paid working hours 4 to 5 times more than dads. One example of disparity in work production: women academics are submitting fewer papers since coronavirus started, while men are submitting 50 percent more than they usually would. Think of the research, insights and extrapolations the world is missing from women, because they are cleaning up the oatmeal stuck on the bowl, while their male counterparts are more likely working in a quiet room.
The good news? There’s an entire movement of passionate “FamilyTech” founders who, long before the pandemic turned it into a crisis, created support strategies to address aspects of this problem. We’d love to introduce you to existing options for both you and your companies, as well as share recommendations from our research.
Moms Are Underwater
How do we save one another and make it on the other side of this pandemic better off than when it started? We all—partners, employers and moms—have a role to play.
Moms are taking on even more invisible work since COVID started.
Technology can help with the mundane, repetitive tasks of running a family so that parents can shift valuable mindshare to more important matters.
Modern Village is building the Family Operating System as a central place that isn’t mom’s brain to be the single source of all things family.
Couples can then focus on divvying up the remaining invisible work through tools like:
Fair Play which helps couples divide up household tasks fairly, based on their needs.
Persistiny allows parents to track, value, and share the unpaid work to care for their families.
For partners who want to improve their marriage, and in doing so contribute to a society that values women, here are some things you can do today:
Take on more housework. Even if it feels like you are doing your fair share, pick up one, two, even five more tasks.
Initiate a conversation with her…tonight. Ask her how she feels the child and housework is going. Is she drowning? To avoid adding mental load to her already loaded cart, come to the conversation with two ideas for how you could help.
Take the kids out of the house to give her some time to just think, reflect, and do something other than parenting and housework.
Say thank you. Say thank you every time you see her pick up the LEGOS, feed the children, and sign them onto a remote class. Say thank you for everything you don’t see…the uninterrupted Zoom call, the empty sink, and anything else slipping by because of its invisibility. Make it your personal goal to show as much gratitude as possible, and in doing so her invisible work will suddenly start becoming visible.
Employers who want to attract and retain a diverse and efficient workforce
Much like the parents they employ, companies have found themselves in unknown water, without access to a best practices playbook on how to support caregivers. Because of this there is a real-time experiment taking place when it comes to benefits, policies and stances companies are implementing.
Moms who are essential workers or who work from home are all struggling.
Four Guiding Principles of What Companies Can Say and Do to Support Caregivers:
Consistent policies that don’t depend on an employee to initiate
✗ “Talk to your manager”
✓ Quarterly or monthly mental health days. (e.g., YOU days at Indeed)
✓ 40 hours a week, anytime during the week
Reduced Schedule without Penalization
✗ Promoting part-time with reduced pay
✓ Company sanctioned 4 day work week
✓ Office closes every Friday at 2:00 (e.g., The Zebra)
✓ Continued growth and career conversations
Leaders Communicate Challenges & Model Behavior
✗ Silent about kids, challenges and taking time off
✓ “I’m taking time off work to get my kids through the end of the year push.”
Re-Examine Meeting Culture
✗ Back-to-back Zoom meetings
✓ Replacing “syncs” or ad-hoc meetings with a Slack conversation or channel, and other remote work best practices
Here Are Some Services Employers Can Offer to Support Caregivers:
Workshops / Training / Coaching
Femily helps companies create an inclusive culture.
Mindful Return, a benefit that guides new parents back from parental leave and supports working parents with workshops and retreats.
TendLab provides workshops and training to optimize the workforce for parents.
Villyge, an employer-paid benefit, connects working parents 1:1 with a community of coaches from preconception to college.
WRK/360 offers employer sponsored training, development and 1:1 career & life integration coaching support for working parents, their managers and whole teams.
Childcare & Education
BridgeCare offers employee benefits that help working parents find and afford child care.
EdNavigator provides families with personalized education support from preschool to college.
Helpr provides custom primary care solutions for families looking to create care pods or find nannies during COVID, with online 1:1 tutoring for all ages, and backup care with either their sitters or your sitters.
UrbanSitter enables families to select providers to come into their home in a COVID-friendly way.
If you’re looking for companies that have been vetted for supporting caregivers, Hustle Hunters or Prowess Project can help match you with opportunities.
Moms, although we are utterly burnt out, we remain stronger together
While moms are in no position to add more to their infinite, impossible to-do lists, now more than ever, we need the support of one another. This includes banding together to recognize our needs, both at work and at home.
First, we need to speak up for ourselves and balance the inequities at home. By talking openly with our partners, we can align on our values, share responsibility in the joys, challenges and logistics of childcare, and teach our children to be proud of doing housework..
If You’re Looking for a Community of Moms Who Get It:
Chairman Mom is a private network of badass working women.
MotherNation creates spaces for Mothers to care for themselves and each other by gathering Circles based on location, age of children and shared experience.
Mother Honestly is an online community, with resources and support for working mothers.
Finally, we need to be inclusive and welcoming to all womxn, which is a departure from the traditional white feminism many of us inadvertently have been practicing. The pandemic is disproportionately affecting Black moms so it’s important for those of us with a more privileged position to speak up for racial justice in our homes, schools, and organizations.
You Have Options
Every family needs to do what’s right for them. Based on their own mental health, their family situation, their risk tolerance and financial resources, every family’s solutions will be different. For example, one mom may opt for homeschooling to reduce her own anxiety while another mom may feel it’s necessary for her kids to attend school for her own mental health.
Five factors that influence a family’s decisions:
If you’re looking for ways to engage and educate your children from your own home:
Komae enables cooperative, free care by swapping points with other families.
From Drowning to Thriving
We know this just scratches the surface. There is no silver bullet solution to alleviate such a complex and nuanced issue, rooted in historic biases. The pandemic has brought the childcare crisis to the national stage, although moms have felt the weight of it far longer. We believe the future of caregiving brings together the public and private sectors and is equitable, inclusive, and antiracist. When everyone pitches in to help, moms will make it to shore stronger, and our world will reap the benefits.
We are Shift, user researchers, and designers who provide custom qualitative research to companies to identify needs and recommendations to better support caregivers. We welcome you to follow our thoughts, and if you’d like to work with us, let’s chat.
Anne Kenny and Natalie Tulsiani are user researchers and designers who co-founded Shift the Workplace, a research consultancy that helps companies identify opportunities to support caregivers. With 30 years of combined experience at Huge, Microsoft and Airbnb, we offer tangible, practical recommendations tailored to the company's culture.
From medical costs to the safest car seats, parents-to-be make dozens of decisions about their family’s future every day. But when it comes to giving birth, what state is the best for new parents? WalletHub recently released their findings that compared 32 key measures, from cost to healthcare accessibility to baby- and family-friendliness. Read on for the findings and to see where your state falls on the list.
WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia to evaluate four key components: 1. Cost, 2. Healthcare, 3. Baby-friendliness and 4. Family-friendliness. They broke it down further by evaluating each category using 32 relevant metrics like average insurance premiums, cost of newborn screening, quality of women’s hospitals, parental-leave policy score, and childcare centers per capita (check out all metrics here). Below are their findings:
Best States to Have a Baby:
1. Massachusetts
2. Minnesota
3. Vermont
4. North Dakota
5. Rhode Island
Worst States to Have a Baby:
1. Alabama
2. South Carolina
3. Mississippi
4. Louisiana
5. Georgia
Direct from WalletHub, here are some more interesting findings:
Mississippi has the lowest average annual cost for early child care, $4,060, which is 3.9 times lower than in the District of Columbia, the highest at $15,860.
Alaska has the lowest share of childbirths with low birth weight, 5.85 percent, which is 2.1 times lower than in Mississippi, the highest at 12.12 percent.
The District of Columbia has the most obstetricians and gynecologists (per 100,000 residents), 26, which is 13 times more than in Louisiana, the fewest at 2.
Massachusetts has the highest parental leave policy score, 160, while 9 states, such as Alabama, Michigan and South Dakota, tie for the lowest at 0.
Ah, maternity leave. A time to adjust to parenthood, bond with your new baby, recover from childbirth and not worry about work. Unless you live in the United States, of course. But let’s not make this another depressing story about the sad state of parental leave policies in America. We all know that it sucks.
I’m a child of entrepreneurs who made flexibility for new moms and working moms a thing 25 years before it was a thing. (Is it even really a thing, now?) My dad wasn’t some visionary feminist bleeding-heart. He was a successful business man, who also happened to be a devoted family man, who knew talent when he saw it and wasn’t willing to give it up when babies came into the mix.
So in their small little tech company in the ’90s, he turned an empty office room into a pumping room/nursery where new moms could bring their babies in to work for their first six months. And guess what? He had a 100 percent retention rate on those working moms—and his business was better for it.
Fast forward 20 years when I was pregnant working for a small business not covered by FMLA or its state equivalent. I turned to my dad’s vision for some negotiating tactics when I had to fight for even one day off. Here’s my takeaway.
Bring up your need for maternity leave early.
If you work for a small company that is anything like the one I worked for when I was pregnant with my daughter, you have non-existent maternity leave policies from a non-existent HR department. The whole company flies by the seat of its pants when it comes to decisions about maternity leave, and you’re terrified to even mention it. But hear me out: you need to mention it. And soon. Don’t wait to have this conversation until you’re a week from heading out the door to have your baby.
I was petrified to tell my managing partner I was pregnant. I was the only female attorney and when I finally did tell them at 15 weeks pregnant, for no other reason than I was worried they’d get wise to my growing bump, I qualified my “I’m pregnant” with “but don’t worry, I’m more committed to my billable hours than ever and you won’t even notice a difference and I’m going to work until I have the baby, and please don’t hate me ohmygod I’m so sorry my husband and I decided to start a family because this is so inconvenient for you.”
Whether planned or a surprise, having a baby shouldn’t feel like a burden to your or your company. The earlier you have the discussion, the more time both you and your company can come up with a plan that works for everyone.
Try to consider and understand your company’s view, too.
Part of the reason the United States doesn’t have any statutory parental leave policies in place is because we view small businesses as the back-bone of this country, so there is a lot of concern about the burden it places on the business to pay you, or even to hold your job, while you take even this necessary time off.
Take my experience, for example. I was at a firm with only five attorneys, including the partners. For me to be gone for any amount of time, they either have to spread all my work amongst the remaining attorneys (truly impossible) or hire a contract attorney. Attorneys are expensive, and there’s a major learning curve to take on a load of clients in the middle of big, complex transactions. By the time the temporary attorney would get their bearings, I’d be back. And a small firm sure as hell can’t afford to pay two attorneys for one job.
Keep this reality in mind when you go in to negotiate some time off. This isn’t only about you. This is about the company, too. Be ready to find a middle ground.
Get creative.
An estimated 80 percent of companies are not federally mandated to hold your job for 12 weeks under the Family and Medical Leave Act. If you work for one of these companies, how do you negotiate your maternity leave?
First, think long and hard about what is it that you want. Are you okay with not getting paid but you really want a few months off to bond with your new babe? Can’t afford to take unpaid leave but the thought of going back after a few weeks makes you sick?
If it’s more time you want, find a way to pitch so that it’s a win for them. Can you help them find a temp to fill in for you? Did you take on additional work for someone else when they were on leave and you can suggest the same accommodation can be made for you? If you’re a valuable asset to the company, you’d be surprised how much leeway they will be willing to give. Ask for the extra time off.
If you need (or want) the money, but you need to ease into it, talk about part-time or work-from-home options. You can suggest signing a trial-period contract that is results-driven with clear metrics to ensure you’re delivering on your end (no pun intended). Who knows: if you over deliver on this, you could end up with a permanently adjusted schedule to support that work-life balance.
Don’t be afraid to revisit.
Before you have a baby (or your second or third or fourth), you don’t really know what life will be like. Maybe that career woman will be thrown out the window and you won’t be able to imagine doing anything but raising your child. Maybe, like my sister, you’ll negotiate for four and a half months off and then decide you’re ready to go back a month early. Maybe you’ll want to move to part time after baby number three.
Don’t be rigid in your view. Allow yourself flexibility to address different milestones or needs, both for you and the company.
Personally, I was more than ready to go back to work at 12 weeks, but I ran into a snag when I was rigidly committed to nursing for a year and I wasn’t making enough milk. Literally, my first week back, I did a quick calculation and was going to run out of frozen breast milk in exactly eight days. It was time to make a decision: I could switch to formula or I could talk to my boss.
Have the conversation. (Again.)
I have never had a more awkward conversation in my life than the five-minute discussion where I had to tell my male managing partner that I wasn’t producing enough breast milk and I’d like for them to consider letting me work part-time from home for three more months until I got the baby on solid foods.
He literally tried to cut me off because he was so uncomfortable, but he needed to hear what my issue was, what I needed and how I planned to address it.
We negotiated three months on a part-time salary. I’d go down to two half-days in the office, plus a few hours each day at home. If one deadline was missed or a client complained I wasn’t available, the deal was over. It worked. I was able to get everything done and more—and I happily breastfed my daughter until she was 15 months old.
You never know what wrench will be thrown into your plans. So have a Plan A, B and C—and make sure it’s one that benefits both you and your employer.
But at the end of the day, if you don’t ask, the answer is always no.
Keren is a business owner x2 (flat-fee lawyer and digital marketing operations) in active pursuit of the elusive work-life balance. With a couple of demanding jobs, a husband who travels for work and two little kids, she maintains her sanity by reading and engaging in inappropriate banter with friends, family and strangers.
Paid family leave just got a huge boost in Finland thanks to women. The coalition government, which is made up of five women-led parties, just passed a new policy which gives equal paid leave to both parents––for seven months each!
Just this week Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced the new policy that allows a total of 14 months paid leave, where each parent can take up to seven months. The policy also allows for an extra month of pregnancy allowance before the parental leave officially starts.
Finland is expected to institute the new policy as early as the fall of 2021. Designed to be gender neutral, it will replace the current program which only allows for four months paid leave to mothers and two months for fathers.
Additionally, parents can transfer up to 69 days of their own leave to the other parent, while a single parent has the ability to use the same allowance as a two-parent household.
With the United States currently being the only country of 31 studied by UNICEF who doesn’t provide a national paid leave for parents, hopefully the new changes in Finland become the new example for which the U.S. can follow suit.
With the year drawing to a close, its time to look ahead to what’s trending in 2020 when it comes to parenting styles and other topics like home design. The new year promises lots of gender-inclusive styles and names, in addition to a return to homemade and upcycled cuisine and fashion. Keep reading to see the top parenting trends we found on Pinterest, Google, and other resourceful spots, that are bound to take charge come January first.
When it comes to curating your kiddo's wardrobe, unisex kids clothes are on the rise. Neutral colors, simple styles and all gender-friendly prints make getting ready in the morning a breeze. Check out awesome companies like Primary, Quirkie Kids and Mochi Kids to get started on crafting the cutest gender-neutral closet.
Ellis, Shea, Rowan––gender-neutral is the name of the game when it comes to trending baby names. Monikers that are fit for boys, girls or non-binary babes will be big in 2020, giving parents a little extra leeway when it comes to picking the perfect name for baby.
Homemade Baby Food
iStock
Ditch the storebought pouches and packs of pre-made food and spend your Sunday's whipping up homemade baby food. Simple ingredients make for easy purees and other tasty treats like teething biscuits, all with the peace of mind of knowing each and every ingredient.
Not only are you reducing your carbon footprint by cutting back on the use of consumable goods, but you're giving your kiddo their chance to show their one-of-a-kind style when you shop secondhand. Thrift store shopping and buying used garb is predicted to be a big trend in the new year, so get ready to shop your fave local shops, online consignment sites and set up that account on ThredUp.
Trolls, LEGO and Superheros––2020 will see tons of gender-neutral party themes. Ideas surrounding food, non-pink and blue colors and gender-inclusive activities all make for fun parties on the horizon.
Indoor play areas are great for chilly weather, but outdoor play spaces are the place to be in 2020. Whether your kids love unstructured play, splash pads or traditional playgrounds, getting your kids outside is not only the trendy thing to do, but it's great for them too.
Unisex Nurseries
Havenly
Nurseries fit for any baby are taking the design scene by storm. Neutral color palettes with mixed textures like greenery, wood and iron are great for boy or girl, and don't restrict your design prowess to traditional blues and pinks.
Next year is the year of trips that make your kids smarter. There are tons of domestic options, in addition to countless trips abroad to take the kiddos that will expand their experience and knowledge of the great world out there.
Whether your little is big into Star Wars or is a budding astronaut, 2020 is the year for out of this world parties. Gear up with galactic decor, space-themed activities and cosmic cookies and cake to celebrate the big day.
Kids are starting to take over the kitchen! The year 2020 is predicted to be more adventurous when it comes to mini foodie palette's, with brands branching out into more organic products, powerful flavors with rich spices and new takes on old faves. Get ready to see lots of fresh items on the kids menu on your next outing.
Subscription Boxes
Kidpik
Fashion, crafts, food or STEAM activities––there is nothing to big too fit inside a subscription box for kids! Monthly or quarterly subscriptions not only keep kids on their toes in anticipation, but keep them yearning for more knowledge and creativity. Whether your littles like to express themselves through style or works of art, sub boxes are the trend of 2020.
Are you looking for a change? If you’re looking for a move on the international level, Movinga recently announced the top global picks for families!
After selecting 150 cities from around the world, the experts at Movinga reviewed each location based on criteria important to families—including housing affordability, living cost (by income), unemployment rate, safety, mobility, air quality, healthcare, kids’ activities, paid parental leave, family inclusivity and family friendliness.
Not only did Movinga’s study include a review of the data, the family relocation pros also surveyed families who live in the cities. This means the cities aren’t just statistic picks, they’re the best places for families to live according to IRL parents.
So which cities scored the highest marks? The best cities for families in 2020 include:
Helsinki, Finland: This was the number one pick worldwide.
Quebec, Canada: The number two city in the globe for families.
Oslo, Norway: This city was number three overall and rated high on family-friendliness.
Tokyo, Japan: Rated the best for neighborhood safety.
Los Angeles: The highest number of kids’ activities.
Singapore: The highest education score.
New Yoork City: NYC ranked second in kids’ activities.
To view the full list and methodology, visit Movinga here!
