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what does preschool have to do with being a working parent? Most moms I know stay home, and their kids are in 1/2 day preschool
Stats show that people are happier and have longer life expectancies in those countries that have some kind of national health care and maternity leave. Capitalism is not the end all, be all, 100% best way to go.
You could use those same statistics to say that people are happier in countries where people have light skin. It doesn't prove a correlation.
Preschool is fine, but don't force me to pay for it with my tax dollars.
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It's tough being a mom no matter what, I don't care how much or how little money one has; had; will have and so on.
I hope we can all agree with this. If your are doing a good job of being a mother it will be tough. It doesn't matter if you are a SAHM, a working mom, single mom, married mom, rich mom, poor mom, or somewher in between. If you love your kids, put their needs first and truely do the best you can it will be tough. What is right for me and my family will not be what's right for another family. Mom's do need more support/respect for the hard job they do.
Sometimes husbands die, sometimes people get divorced. So there goes the main wage earner and mom and the kids wind up on welfare that all pay for, including 'the childless.'
Branson, you just seem ANGRY about this. If you choose to be childless, that's your choice. But many of us do have kids and for you, as a woman to just 'wahhh' at us shows how you are just being selfish and not even trying to get the point of the article.
One of the reason that I chose not to have children is that I could not care for them in the absence of a second income. I do not have a strong extended family unit so I knew the responsibility would solely be on me and I could not provide adequately.
If a woman has a good extended family then if the secondary wage earner dies they can move in with family who will assist in supporting and raising the child/children. Although there are *some* good reasons to divorce (such as physical abuse, abandonment, etc.,) the majority of marriages fail because it is just too much trouble and work to keep them going. Again, there is a lack of sacrifice to keep a "less than perfect" relationship alive (again, absent physical abuse, etc.,) for the sake of the children that are brought into the world.
People do not care enough to put their children's needs and happiness above their own. I cannot feel sorry for individuals who have CHOSEN a lifestyle like this. Sorry. I have seen too many good parents (and mothers) who have sacrificed everything for their children and would not DREAM in a million years of accepting any kind of hand out or assistance. Those parents/women have my respect.
One of the reason that I chose not to have children is that I could not care for them in the absence of a second income. I do not have a strong extended family unit so I knew the responsibility would solely be on me and I could not provide adequately.
If a woman has a good extended family then if the secondary wage earner dies they can move in with family who will assist in supporting and raising the child/children. Although there are *some* good reasons to divorce (such as physical abuse, abandonment, etc.,) the majority of marriages fail because it is just too much trouble and work to keep them going. Again, there is a lack of sacrifice to keep a "less than perfect" relationship alive (again, absent physical abuse, etc.,) for the sake of the children that are brought into the world.
People do not care enough to put their children's needs and happiness above their own. I cannot feel sorry for individuals who have CHOSEN a lifestyle like this. Sorry. I have seen too many good parents (and mothers) who have sacrificed everything for their children and would not DREAM in a million years of accepting any kind of hand out or assistance. Those parents/women have my respect.
US low score on world motherhood rankings: charity - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100504/hl_afp/healthwomenchildrenworld_20100504085825 - broken link)
It's really depressing and sad to see how low the USA values women and children.
I have been saying it for years--we need more support with raising kids, working and paying for our kids to get into preschools or have state subsidized preschools that aren't just for Head Start kids. (no offense).
Meanwhile, many school districts do not provide preschool and our kids are behind.
Please, no tired old "don't have 'em if you can't raise 'em" arguments. This is the future of the USA we're talking about, not 'welfare moms looking for handouts.'
Sorry but I disagree.
Choose either money making or Kids
As a society, we need to get away from this idea of pop put a kid or two shove em in child care and be back at work by lunch time.
I am happy with a kid having a day or two a week in child care as this gives the kid some socialisation and gives mom the chance to work if she so chooses. But not 5 days a week.
You want to work 5 days a week. Go for it. But don't complain and don't have kids.
I LOVE being a SAHM but am getting prepared for summer w/ kids 24/7. It's not easy. I want a break. But guess what, I did sign up for this & while there are many things in this country that are lacking when it comes to parental support, we also have quite a bit to be thankful for too.
I'm the opposite... I'm a SAHM who prefers the long lazy summers with my kids and their friends 24/7. The school year is so busy and can often be so hectic. I volunteer many hours a week - some days I'm there from 7:30 am until after school lets out - and so volunteering is like a full-time job for me. Not to mention having to deal with the issues that come up during the school year like all the fundraisers and lately we've had to deal with bullies and kids in their classes just acting really bizarre (there's a kid who pulls his pants down in our youngest's classroom in front of the girls and the school can't seem to do anything about it because he's "special needs". *sigh*)
Anyway - every year we can't wait for summer. We get a pool pass and a few spectrum math and summer bridge workbooks and we're set. Every day we wake up, have a lazy breakast, do a few pages in the workbooks, then we go outside with a few sandwiches and fruit packed up and some water bottles. Hit up the pool, the skatepark, the tennis courts, the bike trails, the lake, the river trails, hiking, kites, whatever we're in the mood for that day (and most of it is FREE ) We're home by dinnertime, then it's chill-out time... super relaxed. When it gets dark... curl up and watch a film... have a glass of wine (me and the hubby - not the kids - sorry kids! ) and soon it's time for sweet dreams.
LOVE summer... and having kids 24/7 all summer is great because if you are lucky enough to be a SAHM it means you can get away with having long lazy relaxing playful summer days and months. There's no way I could do all that if I didn't have kids because I'd feel like a lazy bum! I'm enjoying it while I can (before I decide to go back to work in a few years...).
Anyway - every year we can't wait for summer. We get a pool pass and a few spectrum math and summer bridge workbooks and we're set. Every day we wake up, have a lazy breakast, do a few pages in the workbooks, then we go outside with a few sandwiches and fruit packed up and some water bottles. Hit up the pool, the skatepark, the tennis courts, the bike trails, the lake, the river trails, hiking, kites, whatever we're in the mood for that day (and most of it is FREE ) We're home by dinnertime, then it's chill-out time... super relaxed. When it gets dark... curl up and watch a film... have a glass of wine (me and the hubby - not the kids - sorry kids! ) and soon it's time for sweet dreams.
LOVE summer... and having kids 24/7 all summer is great because if you are lucky enough to be a SAHM it means you can get away with having long lazy relaxing playful summer days and months. There's no way I could do all that if I didn't have kids because I'd feel like a lazy bum! I'm enjoying it while I can (before I decide to go back to work in a few years...).
I didn't say that I completely appreciate nor enjoy the summers...just that there are moments when it can get tough 24/7. And the 2 hour break I get a few days a week b/c of school is also appreciated.
The past few summers (my are still toddlers) as I sit there dipping my toes in the kiddie pool as they run around & play in the safety & comfort of their own home...seriously, when my dh asks what I want for Mothers Day or CMas or Bdays, I tell him that I have what I want...I stay at home (though a gift card for a mani/pedi is alway appreciated )
At any moment I could have to enter back into the workforce thus when I do have those days when I am feeling sorry for myself or the day is just plain hard, I also remember the sheer bleesing I have been given being able to stay at home.
As for the thread, I just think the mentality of moms being able to have it all & the womens movt of encouraging this has also set women back a lot. Maternity care? Well, can't we do it all with our eyes closed & one handed? Some of it has gotten out of hand & over the years, companies have been allowed not to give a darn b/c "super mom" will scream "EO!" yet turn around and complain she only got 6 weeks...
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As for the thread, I just think the mentality of moms being able to have it all & the womens movt of encouraging this has also set women back a lot. Maternity care? Well, can't we do it all with our eyes closed & one handed? Some of it has gotten out of hand & over the years, companies have been allowed not to give a darn b/c "super mom" will scream "EO!" yet turn around and complain she only got 6 weeks...
I would like to see companies be more flexable wrt to moms. We have had a few decades where equal opportunity has been the buzz word. Women should be allowed to have a career is the cry. Companies must employ some number of women etc etc. The problem is that it has been implemented this way. "OK your a woman, you can have a job so long as you change to do the job like a man" That is work 9-5, drinks with the guys after work etc .
To me, OK the women want to work. Why should they change to work. Well some change maybe but surely companies should also change especially to accomodate mothering. Well you say, how do companies do this. Firstly part time. Work just several days per week. Next for moms of school age kids, just work 10am - 2pm or so. Be understanding that sometimes those moms have to deal with skick kids or attend school meetings. In fact not just understand it but encourage them and believe in them. Understand that moms will be away during school holidays. Now obviously some jobs suit this and others don't. But many jobs are not time critical. We have a mom at our work who does the financial books. She phones customers to chase payments. She phones creditors to sort out payment issues, she pays the bills etc. Now if she is not able to come in for a few days well so what. As a company policy we pay creditors about a week before they are due so if she cant come in we are unlikely to be put on stop credit and if there is an issue then they understand that it may take a few days to resolve.
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