SMU Dean of Students and Professor of Sociology (Practice) Paulin Straughan said the low take-up rate among fathers could be partly due to traditional ideas about women as primary caregivers, though norms have progressed. "It may also be about self-policing at the workplace. Some may not want to be absent too often in order to show they are committed and dedicated workers," she said. Prof Straughan added that the numbers could reflect private decisions by couples for one person to take a step back to care for their children, so the family unit as a whole is not disadvantaged.