Or you could think about it a different way. Maternity/paternity leave is a social service for a fellow (albeit new) citizen who is unable to care for itself--kind of like disability benefits. It's a way to level the playing field at the very beginning for this new little citizen, or it could be if the US offered a universal policy like Canada's.
Those children you are paying other people to have and raise? Just think of them as the future tax base for the Social Security benefits you will be collecting one day.
Those children you are paying other people to have and raise? Just think of them as the future tax base for the Social Security benefits you will be collecting one day.