In 2004, Estonia introduced a generous parental benefit. Sanan Abdullayev's doctoral thesis at Tallinn University found this made a second or third child more likely and shortened the gap between births. Fathers who claimed the benefit mostly did it for the money.
The study shows money can move a big life decision: paid leave made families more likely to grow. But it also shows cash doesn't automatically change who does the caregiving. Countries weighing parental benefits, and hoping fathers will share the load, can't count on payments alone to shift roles at home.
✦ Payments grew families; they didn't by themselves make fathers the caregivers.