Parental leave: a journey all alone
This paper tries to explain why so many parents say they felt lonely when they were on parental leave. The study of the parents’ semi-directive interviews shows internalization of a parental role based on permanent availability to the child, which induces isolation and feeling of loneliness during the leave. Therefore, parents on leave found it difficult to take some time for themselves or to keep relationships outside from home. Requirement of being devoted to children and home, which is internalized by mothers more than by fathers, increases parental role at the expense of personal identity. Then, parents looked forward the end of the leave and their return to work.