At Deseret, I’m making the case for a baby bonus as fair and flexible help for parents and children.
A “baby bonus” is an effective way to provide support to more families with fewer complications. Every family has unique needs, and flexible assistance can help parents serve the best interests of their children in their particularity. For a worker with only guaranteed unpaid FMLA leave after the birth of a child, a baby bonus can act as paid family leave. For another family, it could help defray the costs of converting a guest room for a grandmother to stay long term to help older kids adjust to a new baby. In another family’s case, a baby bonus might cover additional childcare for an older child while the mother is hospitalized to reduce the risk of a preterm delivery. The best family support allows parents to make the decisions that are best for their specific circumstances.