Supporting National Daycare is Fiscally Responsible.

I have a child in daycare.  I work full time.  My husband has the same child in daycare and he also works full time.  So we pay a lot of money for our child to be in daycare.  Our child loves it and the teachers love him and teach him great things.

My husband and I are lucky we make enough money at our jobs and have low enough expenses that we can afford the cost of daycare.  Others are not as lucky.  My salary covered the costs of daycare.  Leaving my husband to cover, mortgage, bills, repairs and food. It was tight for a while but worth it.  The cost went down somewhat as said child changed from being a toddler to a preschooler.

Why is it worth it you ask, for a couple of reasons.  Our son is more social than an only child can be satisfied with at home which means play groups and activities in addition to the services that are available through the city and the library.  These cost more money than one already stretched salary can pay for.  I can hear you chirping about the free services.  Those are great services and well used and paid for by taxes, like a national daycare program would be.  Although probably some of the taxes for the library are municipal but that it just confusing the issue.

It was also worth it because the money we spent on day care went to paying a good wage to its employees.  By my going to work I make an income that I spend and pay taxes, so does my husband.  By paying people to take excellent compassionate care of my child they are making an income that they spend and paying taxes.

Let's say that what we pay for daycare allows 1 person a job.  That is 3 people paying taxes and spending money in Canada.  If I don't go to work then it is only 1 person.  Just to reiterate 3 is more than 1 and pays for more hospitals, roads, library programs etc.

No one who would call themselves fiscally responsible would say that 1 person paying taxes is better than 3 so that leaves us with why do you really not want national daycare?  It is clearly not because you have Canada's interest or children's interest at heart.  Or you would inherently want as many tax payers as possible, there is only one thing left.  You are not interested in helping people who can't afford daycare get it (there are already subsidies thankfully) and you don't women to be working.

This is why when you say "we don't need national daycare" what you are really saying is "women should not work outside the home."

Elizabeth

I'm no quitter

I'm no quitter just pressed for free time. But as I have one hand available at the moment I thought I'd get something down.  Connie Willis is a fantastic author.  Her book Doomsday Book was probably the best book I've read, ever.

lullaby

Close your eyes
Keep them closed
You are safe here
Keep them closed

Turn off the sounds
Dim the lights
You are safe here
Keep them closed

One more snack
One more drink
You are safe here
Keep them closed

repeat

I wrote this song the first night home with the familial addition.

A Poem in progress

Kisses and kisses and kisses and kisses
And hugs and hugs and hugs and hugs
And cuddles and cuddles and cuddles and cuddles
And tickles and tickles and tickles and tickles
And wiggles and wiggles and wiggles and wiggles
And squeezes and squeezes and squeezes and squeezes


This one is a big hit at home when repeated along with the actions

Still hate my job

I'm coming to the end of my maternity leave.  So I've been calling, emailing and visiting daycares.  Jumping at the cost, chatting about philosophies, using all my people reading skills to get the vibe of new people and places.  I've met some great people and really think that what they offer is fun and worth the money they are charging.  The only problem is I hate my job.  The job I'm doing now is great, looking after my baby, who is very fun to be with.  The job I will be doing is soul sucking corporate retail management.  Sigh, it could be worse, I could be in the States where there is no maternity leave and would have missed out on these past months, it makes me cry just to think of it.  So a few more weeks of the relaxed pace life to be replaced with a new life of never having enough time.

Got some catching up to do

That was a waste of a week for writing.  I'm not feeling very creative so I'll just write diary type entries, just to get something down.  We took the dogs out today, so they could enjoy the snow.  And they did. We let Jack run off leash in a mostly fenced off area.  He had a blast, running, barking at sparrows in a bush.  We played kick snow at Jack, he loved that as well.  Running back and forth and all around.  Then he ran back over to bark at the birds again and wasn't coming back.  Just as he turned to come back to us he saw a person walking down the sidewalk through the open fence.  So he ran off at the person barking.  Scarring the shit out of them.  I heard the young woman scream.  It was horrible.  Matt ran out after him and he did come to Matt, but those 90 seconds, made me feel so terrible for that young woman.  I called out to her to ask if she was alright, and she said she was but she was still in shock, she apologized to us.   I said the Jack was very scary.  She walked off and a few moments later I saw her talking to a friend and she looked scared, and I wish I could take it back.  I wish that hadn't happened.  But now that woman is going to be scared for quite a while, strange dogs running at you barking, who wouldn't be afraid.  So I'm feeling like a terrible dog owner right now.

Nothing to Say

I start with a small idea.  Something that's worth working on.  I get all excited and begin developing and thinking on it.  Then I realize that it's not a good idea, or some such excuse and drop it. Preferably with no trace, so no one can identify my potential failure. This process keeps me quiet but bursting with worthless creativity and idea fragments.  Perhaps along with a daily writing exercise I should do something to increase my self-worth.

And Then Again

The dog lowered in a long stretch while getting up from her nap.  And then slowly made her way towards the kitchen.  And then the back door sprang open with a gust of wind.  And then the little boy came in dropping his book bag in front of the door again.  And then the radio began to play the theme song for a new comedy.  And then the whole family came into the kitchen to hear the show.  And then the wind picked up again and the shutters were being banged around on the upstairs windows.  And then Johnny heard the tap turn on and thought Mom must have started supper. And then with homework left undone the twins sat at the table and laughed at the show on the radio.  And then the water in the kettle began to boil on the stove with a whistle.  And then through the window the neighbors flower beds flowed with the gusts of wind.  And then Dad turned off the radio and sent us all to bed.