I love spending time with close friends, but lately even that can feel like a lot after long days and nonstop schedules. Which is why I immediately related to this piece about the rise of “parallel play” for adults — a childhood concept, rebranded for exhausted millennials who just want to quietly coexist for a bit. In that same spirit, this “book crawl” has my name written all over it. I’ve already mapped out my first three stops. As for what I’ll sip along the way, maybe this year’s drink of the summer, already a favorite of mine, but with a refreshing twist. And to balance that out, I’ll look no further than my go-to warm-weather fruit, which I recently learned has surprising nutritional benefits. If I could only get someone to peel it for me. Now, let’s get to the news…
— Marina Carver / Senior Editor / Brooklyn, NY
Family policy
The Crucial Fight for NICU Leave
What’s going on: When a Colorado couple’s daughter was born at 29 weeks, weighing only two pounds, she was rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Scared as they were, both parents returned to work within days. They joined meetings from the hospital and answered emails — even as their daughter struggled to breathe and the mother prepped for her own surgery, the couple told The Associated Press. Their choice reflects a brutal reality for many NICU parents: Go back to work immediately or burn through parental leave before your baby even comes home. Now, a growing push for dedicated NICU leave could finally offer breathing room so parents can focus on their newborn.
Can’t believe NICU leave wasn’t already a thing?: Neither can we. This time off could help thousands of families — almost one in 10 babies in the US spends time in the NICU. But momentum is building. In January, Colorado became the first state to offer paid NICU leave, while Illinois followed with its own version — though that leave is unpaid. While some companies offer options to fill in the gaps, there’s one proposal that would have the biggest impact. Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) is drafting a federal bill that would offer up to 12 weeks of NICU leave on top of the unpaid, job-protected 12 weeks available under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Of course, passing a national law that actually mandates paid family or parental leave for everyone would be a good start…
