My partner (F29) and me (M32) have no children and are not planning on it (I even had a vasectomy). I always pondered the fact that I will never be able to have paternity leave, even as I see coworkers around me all the time go on paid leave for several months. Some have done this multiple times as they've had multiple kids since we've been working together!
Now don't get me wrong, I know parental leave can be VERY challenging and isn't the fun vacation that I'm picturing when I have to pick up their work and I'm salty lol. But I wouldn't mind taking one-time “parental leave” 3-month block of PTO. Maybe its a benefit employers offer – e.g. every 5 years of employment, you are eligible for 3 months of “child-free leave” if this is your case.
As the birth-rate in the developed world becomes lower and lower, do you think the parental leave benefit should somehow extend to people who never will have children?