A new law that grants 9 weeks of paid leave from work to parents in the Netherlands with a child under 1 year of age will come into effect from August 2022 (https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/politiek/artikel/5293204/ouderschapsverlof-tweede-kamer).This is a very good improvement over the previous unpaid parental leave and only 16 week long paid maternity leave and 6 week long paid paternity leaves. 

However, my petition is to extend the new paid parental leave towards all parents whose children are less than 4 years of age, for the following reasons:

1. It is unfair for the parents who could not avail this benefit and still have children between 1 and 4 years of age when the law comes into effect.

2. Children above 1 year also need to spend time with their parents, infact they learn a lot when they are toddlers, so spending relaxed time with their parents is important for their wholesome upbringing. 

3. Working people with children are taking a huge responsibility of contributing to the economy at present as well as to the future of the country, so a little bit of stress-free time off their work without compromising on their income would only be a way of supporting them. 

Thank you. 

Hopeful.