Wouldn’t it be nice if your own government accepts that babies are part of any parent’s life? And that sometimes, parents — yes, even government officials — have no other choice but to bring our kids to work. It’s normal, so a little understanding is much appreciated.
The speaker of New Zealand’s parliament, Trevor Mallard, took to the podium as he cradled and fed a bottle to a baby during a general debate last August 21, 2019.
Writing on Twitter, Mallard said: “Normally the Speaker’s chair is only used by Presiding Officers, but today a VIP took the chair with me,” before congratulating the boy’s parents, Member of Parliament Tamati Coffey and his partner.
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Many people applauded how the parliament speaker’s gesture helps normalize the family unit, including same-sex unions “We need to see more of this. Workplaces need to adapt to enable this behavior,” one person wrote.
It also sends a message to all men that they are well capable of caring for their babies, too! “There’s no need to be afraid of holding and feeding a baby,” another person wrote.
This isn’t the first time Mallard did this. He had previously been recorded cradling a baby during a 2017 parliamentary debate on paid parental leave.
Watch the clip from New Zealand Parliament below:
Credit: New Zealand Parliament via Storyful
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