Neocon child-care 'plan' would keep women from working. Surprise.

[Grimmlok]

TORONTO (CP) - Women's groups say federal government changes to a national child care program would damage the economy by preventing many women from working.

The YWCA Canada report says women would be disproportionately affected by a Conservative move to scrap a national child-care program set up by their Liberal predecessors. The Liberals' $5-billion, five-year program will be replaced next year with direct $1,200 payments to parents for each child under age six.

The YWCA says without more day-care spots and centres under the Liberal program, more women will have to stay home.

They say it won't make sense for many mothers to work or go back to school when so much of their paycheques are lost to day-care expenses.

The YWCA argues removing more women from the workforce will reduce productivity in the Canadian economy.

[UndercoverGator]

Welcome to the state of mommyhood, work and the childcare conundrum USA style Grimm. That is the way it seems to be here..

[hello]

Wouldn't lots of women love to stay home and raise their children?

[A*O]

Originally Posted by hello

Wouldn't lots of women love to stay home and raise their children?

Thin ice here, but no, I don't think a lot of them do to be honest. I know several who clearly prefer to be at work and pay someone else to raise their kids.

[Barbara]

^^ A friend of mine will stop working as a nurse at the end of this month, she and her husband have a son, an adoptive daughter, and are planning to welcome another adopted child in their family next year. She is soooo happy to stop working but some people look at her like she's lost her mind.

I think every case is different, it depends how family life is organized, whether you work far away from home or not, if your work gives you satisfaction or not. In the case when work is just for money, then I'd say it makes sense to stay at home and enjoy your kids rather than be bored at work and spend the wages on daycare.

[A*O]

The women I am talking about absolutely LOVE their careers, to the exclusion of everything else, including their kids. Why bother having them?

[Barbara]

^^ Good point. My mom always worked part time because she wanted to be there for my sister and me, and since we didn't turn out she way she wanted she's super bitter she didn't have a career instead

[A*O]

Hmmmm she's managed to shift the "working mother guilt trip" onto her kids. Go Mom.

I have a neighbour who has 3 kids under the age of 10. She is out of the door at 6am (when the nanny arrives) and isn't home usually until around 10pm (when the exhausted nanny goes home). It's really sad to see this woman trying to have any kind of 'normal' interaction with her kids. Of course they play up when she's around because they are desperate for her attention which makes her back off even more - you can almost hear her saying "Ew". There is a husband/father on the scene but he seems to spend most of his time on the golf course (or screwing around as neighbourhood rumours have it).

[Barbara]

My mom's a guilt trip agency
Last minute, all inclusive, you name it, she has it.

[buttmunch]

Wouldn't lots of women love to stay home and raise their children?

Some can't and some don't want to. We've had this discussion a million times, so let's just say everyone has to do what works best for them.

As far as guilt-tripping mothers, doesn't that go with the job title? I can't wait till my little goobers get a bit older so I can start laying the guilt on thick.

[Grimmlok]

Remember, they choose the home you go into when you get old. Don't guilt them too much or you'll end up in a crooked one.