Paradigm Shifting Papa’s Postpartum
By: Marc Anthony Robinson
The purpose of this blog is to share what postpartum can feel like when family, community, and employer are aligned.
Showing up with integrity for work, family, and self all simultaneously can sometimes feel like an impossible task. Now, let's throw a newborn in there to make it more exciting. As a husband and father, learning the tools to balance and sustain has been through trial and error. The time it takes to recalibrate your nervous and family system may be greater than the time available. My paternity leave with The Teaching Well has created flexibility for a fulfilling integration back to work.
The Power of Flexibility in a Postpartum Season
At TTW, we talk often about sustainability and the necessity of systems that honor both human well-being and organizational health. Postpartum is one of the clearest mirrors of this truth: no one thrives alone, and alignment between family, community, and workplace is essential.
During my paternity leave, I experienced firsthand what it means to have work flexibility that supports nervous system regulation, family connection, and professional sustainability. For me, flexibility meant creating space for grounding practices—walking my newborn in a stroller, taking my toddler to the park, squeezing in golf or a bike ride, and lifting at the gym. These activities weren’t just hobbies; they were anchors. They gave my wife a break, offered my son playtime, and introduced my daughter to the outdoors—all while giving me time to process and reset.
Building a Thoughtful Integration Back to Work
At TTW, we believe in co-creating systems with intention. In partnership with my supervisor, we outlined a flexible and gradual return from paternity leave:
One month completely off in June for deep presence with my family.
Two days a week in July, aligned with internal PD meetings and collaboration time.
Three days a week in August, expanding capacity for client work and preparation.
This step-by-step approach created a smooth integration back into work while protecting time for family and self. It gave me the space to test, refine, and commit to sustainable practices—a toolkit I now carry into the school year in service of my colleagues, clients, and family.
Tools That Translate Beyond TTW
What I experienced is not unique to nonprofits—it can be replicated in schools and other workplaces with thoughtful planning. A few ideas:
Plan for both home and work. Alongside task lists and coverage, consider what home support systems look like and what wellness practices sustain the caregiver and family.
Create a “menu of practices.” From 15 minutes to 2 hours, have ready-to-go options for wellness: a walk, journaling, stretching, or a colleague connection.
Team accountability. Invite colleagues to join in sustaining practices upon return—maybe a quick hallway walk together, or shared pauses in the day.
These practices not only ease transition back from leave, they build cultures of care that ripple across a whole organization.
Supporting Colleagues on Parental Leave
For those of us holding space for team members taking leave, support begins before the baby arrives. Consider:
Brainstorming role coverage. Identify what responsibilities will need to be delegated and clarify who will hold them.
Co-creating re-entry plans. Help design a phased or flexible schedule that ensures sustainability when they return.
Honoring the transition. Naming the shift as both personal and collective affirms the humanity of the colleague and strengthens the whole team.
When a team supports someone’s exit with care, their re-entry becomes smoother—and everyone benefits.
Reflection Invitation
How does your organization currently prepare for and support staff during parental leave?
What “menus of practices” could you and your team create to normalize wellness before, during, and after major life transitions?
Where might flexibility open more space for sustainability in your own role?
Closing
Postpartum is a season of both vulnerability and transformation. My journey as a father has reinforced what TTW already knows: when family, community, and employer are aligned, balance is not only possible—it’s sustainable. Creating intentional systems, both personal and professional, is not just about surviving these transitions but thriving within them.