We should learn from the penguins how to share parenthood!

"Emperor penguins live in Antarctica, one of the coldest places in the world, stuff that compares to my mother-in-law's heart is Cocabana. They are about five feet tall and weigh as much as a German shepherd. They walk like idiots, and are also very stylish because of that natural tailcoat. In short, emperor penguins teach us a lot: elegance, pear-shaped proportions and, above all, division of labour. Mother penguin, after mating, lays a single huge half-pound egg. At that point, no more co-sleeping, high contact, mama penguin: they feed it to daddy penguin and off they go, all together into the sea, to go and eat.

Papa penguin broods the egg throughout the Antarctic winter, sixty-four days of frost on the tips of his feet. He does not eat. At hatching, he will have been fasting for almost four months. On the other hand, he feeds the baby with a stuff that comes out of his beak that I beg you not to google because in comparison my brother-in-law's scrotum is Michelangel's David. (Editor's note: we never understood the relationship between Dr Medea and her husband's brother). Then, after the cold, the hunger, the hatching (which lasts up to three days, so much for quick births!), here she is again, mama penguin. She is shiny, healthy, plump and glowing. She rejoins her family when things are done, and continues the care of the baby. What do I mean? That penguins do not make and raise themselves. They know this by instinct, because they are obviously better than us, but we have to learn it all over again. Be happy. Be penguin."

Taken from 'Not making it as a way of life', by Francesca Fiore and Sarah Malnerich.