John Cho says he plans to 'go on maternity leave'

Actor John Cho has been working so much in the past couple of years that the 35-year-old plans on taking some time off when he and wife Kerri Higuchi welcome their first child, a baby boy.

I’m going to take a break and be home with the kid. I’m going on maternity leave. I’m so freakin’ excited for this kid to come, and I’m so scared they’re going to hand me a small human being to take home and I’ll be responsible for the human being living.

The baby is due in May.

Source: USA Today

Thanks to CBB reader Mary Beth.

Comments

Isn’t is called “paternity” leave when it’s a guy? Too bad he doesn’t live in Canada, where every person gets a one year maternity leave that can be split between the parents!

- Bonnie on April 24th, 2008

I think for men it is called paternity leave or parental leave lol
I hope he enjoys it! It would be super if more men could have time off when their partners have a baby!

- Starlet on April 24th, 2008

I think that’s what’s being planned for the UK too in the future, Bonnie.

It’s great that John Cho is going to do that, my husband had 6 weeks (unpaid!) leave when our third child was born and people thought it was really weird. It was fab though, he really bonded with her and spent lots of time with our sons too.

Is there no paid paternity leave in the US?

- ruthella on April 24th, 2008

I was going to say the same thing. It is paternity leave for guys. It is sad how short of a time company’s give men and women for maternity/paternity leave. I took 3 months off and people couldn’t believe how long I took off. It didn’t seem long to me at all and putting a 3 month old in daycare broke my heart. 6 weeks is the “norm” now for moms and only like a week at most for Dad’s. Sad….

My brother in law works at Microsoft and they give Dad’s 1 month paid for paternity leave. That is so great!

- Becky on April 24th, 2008

When my daughter was born my husband had 6 weeks of PAID leave!!! It was lovely and my daughter and her daddy got to bond and we were able to bond as a family. Additionally, I was able to rest a bit more than if my husband had to go right back to work. I wish all daddies were afforded at least a little paid time off with their newborns.

- Mandy on April 24th, 2008

“Is there no paid paternity leave in the US?”

It is not at all uncommon for parents to only get paid for maternity/paternity leave if they use their vacation/sick time, so the amount of their leave depends on how much time they have saved up. Just before I got pregnant the company I work for acutally decided to pay for maternity leave (6 weeks for vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for C-sections)so I got to have my leave paid for and didn’t have to use any sick time or vacation time…sadly, last year they removed that benefit, so now we are back to having to use our PTO.

- Henrietta on April 24th, 2008

Yes, my boyfriend had interviewed with Microsoft and they had all sorts of parental benefits, including paternity leave and a program to help parents adopt. Awesome

- Jenny on April 24th, 2008

Paternity, maternity. In the HR department I work in, the people who log that time off don’t nitpick over the names, they just call it FMLA .

- Mel on April 24th, 2008

Congrats to John Cho and his wife! Wow John is 35 year old??? Being part asian myself you would think I wouldn’t be stunned..lol but I still am. He looks fantastic for being 35 years old. What a great husband and father to be.

- Natalie S. on April 24th, 2008

With varying details per employee situations of course I should have added.

- Mel on April 24th, 2008

There’s definitely no paid paternity leave in the U.S., or at least nothing required by law. Maternity leave doesn’t have to be paid either, it’s up to the employer. The U.S. is definitely behind the other industrial nations in that respect. I think it’s great that he’s taking time off, it would be a great opportunity to share responsibility for the child, instead of having the mother do all the work.

- Jennifer on April 24th, 2008

ROFL — John needs to read Steve Almond’s essay on his newborn daughter Josephine in “Not That You Asked.” He documented all the ways he feared he’d killed her in the first few days of her life.

- madam pince on April 24th, 2008

Certain companies do offer paid paternity leave. Mine does!! Two weeks during any of the first three months of the newborn’s life, or two weeks after adoption placement. Why shouldn’t men get a break?

- Shanna on April 24th, 2008

Reading these it’s just so, I don’t know, surprising to me I guess, that people are so excited about 6 paid weeks off…I mean obvioulsy you will take what you can get, but I guess I am just so used to having an entire year with the baby! It’s sad to think of such young babies in daycare!!

- Leona on April 27th, 2008