Comments on: Stories from Strapped: Child Care http://thefinancebuff.com/2008/08/stories-from-strapped-child-care.html like a friend telling you about money ... Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:44:17 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Grace http://thefinancebuff.com/2008/08/stories-from-strapped-child-care.html/comment-page-1#comment-1017 Grace Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:37:28 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2008/08/stories-from-strapped-child-care.html#comment-1017 It used to be that when a woman has a baby, she would stay home to take care of the child. Sure, she may need to go to work to bring home a paycheck to make ends meet, but then she could rely on her parents or her husband's parents to help take care of the kids. At least that was the case with my family. And that's the problem...there is no sense of "family" or "community" in this day and age. People nowadays tend to want to be more independent and rely less on their support system, if there is still such a thing. It's not about receiving benefits or tax breaks. What happened to love for one another? I think selfishness is the culprit here. It used to be that when a woman has a baby, she would stay home to take care of the child. Sure, she may need to go to work to bring home a paycheck to make ends meet, but then she could rely on her parents or her husband's parents to help take care of the kids. At least that was the case with my family. And that's the problem…there is no sense of "family" or "community" in this day and age. People nowadays tend to want to be more independent and rely less on their support system, if there is still such a thing. It's not about receiving benefits or tax breaks. What happened to love for one another? I think selfishness is the culprit here.

]]> By: Kathleen http://thefinancebuff.com/2008/08/stories-from-strapped-child-care.html/comment-page-1#comment-896 Kathleen Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:22:48 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2008/08/stories-from-strapped-child-care.html#comment-896 So, you want to make people work all their lives to enjoy their last years with a new job - whether they like the field or not? radical is one thing but a solution, it's not. I work in a field that determines eligibility for subsidized payments for child care. It's a problem. The cost of child care is rising so fast that people who make minimum wage can't even cover the cost of having their child in a safe environment while getting a head start on their education. Getting a head start on education is key to ensure their child doesn't end up in a minimum wage job with one step away from public aid. While some argue that child care does improve social development, it is more important to have a child in a safe and nurturing environment. And then what about after school? By the time a child is school aged, the parent who needs help paying for child care increases their change of working two 40 hour week jobs to pay for school. (don't start on public school cost. think about the cost of clothes and all the other school supplies needed). Having a stable, secure, and comfortable environment helps kids succeed. Having them hang out with buddies on the street does not help. Yes, life happens. The cost of mothering is high (don't forget the fathering). I think you, Ted, are interpreting that people feel entitled. Entitlement comes to those who expect it and do nothing to prepare for it. Working families do not feel the emotion of entitlement. So, you want to make people work all their lives to enjoy their last years with a new job – whether they like the field or not? radical is one thing but a solution, it's not.

I work in a field that determines eligibility for subsidized payments for child care. It's a problem. The cost of child care is rising so fast that people who make minimum wage can't even cover the cost of having their child in a safe environment while getting a head start on their education. Getting a head start on education is key to ensure their child doesn't end up in a minimum wage job with one step away from public aid.

While some argue that child care does improve social development, it is more important to have a child in a safe and nurturing environment. And then what about after school? By the time a child is school aged, the parent who needs help paying for child care increases their change of working two 40 hour week jobs to pay for school. (don't start on public school cost. think about the cost of clothes and all the other school supplies needed). Having a stable, secure, and comfortable environment helps kids succeed. Having them hang out with buddies on the street does not help.

Yes, life happens. The cost of mothering is high (don't forget the fathering). I think you, Ted, are interpreting that people feel entitled. Entitlement comes to those who expect it and do nothing to prepare for it. Working families do not feel the emotion of entitlement.

]]> By: Ted Valentine http://thefinancebuff.com/2008/08/stories-from-strapped-child-care.html/comment-page-1#comment-828 Ted Valentine Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:56:24 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2008/08/stories-from-strapped-child-care.html#comment-828 Here's a radical solution for the childcare/social security problem. Give elderly a choice: They can retire at 62 and receive full benefits if they provide at least part time childcare for a working family. Don't want to help care for the young? Then the full retirement age is pushed back to 70. I don't have all the details, but it makes sense. Here's a radical solution for the childcare/social security problem. Give elderly a choice: They can retire at 62 and receive full benefits if they provide at least part time childcare for a working family. Don't want to help care for the young? Then the full retirement age is pushed back to 70. I don't have all the details, but it makes sense.

]]> By: TFB http://thefinancebuff.com/2008/08/stories-from-strapped-child-care.html/comment-page-1#comment-825 TFB Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:59:40 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2008/08/stories-from-strapped-child-care.html#comment-825 Ted - Actually I'd love to hear more what you have to say. I'm not throwing the book against the wall because it has become a popular train of thought that young generation today can't get ahead. The book was written in 2005. So it was ahead of the curve. Others are jumping on the same bandwagon only now. I want to see if it's truth or myth. Ernie - I'm not arguing for or against anything. I'm just asking. I didn't have much formal early childhood education before I went to school. I think I turned out just fine. Ted – Actually I'd love to hear more what you have to say. I'm not throwing the book against the wall because it has become a popular train of thought that young generation today can't get ahead. The book was written in 2005. So it was ahead of the curve. Others are jumping on the same bandwagon only now. I want to see if it's truth or myth.

Ernie – I'm not arguing for or against anything. I'm just asking. I didn't have much formal early childhood education before I went to school. I think I turned out just fine.

]]> By: Ernie http://thefinancebuff.com/2008/08/stories-from-strapped-child-care.html/comment-page-1#comment-824 Ernie Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:18:50 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2008/08/stories-from-strapped-child-care.html#comment-824 Surely one thing the government ought to do is invest in the education of its citizens. Or are you arguing that America's well-educated workforce is not a major competitive advantage? To my mind, one component of education is childcare. Not just babysitting, but social development, rudimentary number sense, literacy, etc. Surely one thing the government ought to do is invest in the education of its citizens. Or are you arguing that America's well-educated workforce is not a major competitive advantage?

To my mind, one component of education is childcare. Not just babysitting, but social development, rudimentary number sense, literacy, etc.

]]> By: Ted Valentine http://thefinancebuff.com/2008/08/stories-from-strapped-child-care.html/comment-page-1#comment-823 Ted Valentine Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:37:57 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2008/08/stories-from-strapped-child-care.html#comment-823 <i>"Ms. Draut recommends that the federal and state governments provide paid parental leave for 6 months and universal child care for age 0-5."</i> GRRR. How about people raise their own kids? Why is it everyone else's responsibility to pay for that? What ever happened to that antiquated practice called mothering? These people complaining about a lack of childcare are like the starving Hindu walking around with a cow attached to a rope. There is so much I could say about this topic but most of it is not kind, so I'll leave it. tfb, the deeper you go into this book, the more clear it becomes that people just feel entitled. Do most people really feel and behave this way? I don't know how you kept from throwing that book against the wall. "Ms. Draut recommends that the federal and state governments provide paid parental leave for 6 months and universal child care for age 0-5."

GRRR. How about people raise their own kids? Why is it everyone else's responsibility to pay for that? What ever happened to that antiquated practice called mothering? These people complaining about a lack of childcare are like the starving Hindu walking around with a cow attached to a rope. There is so much I could say about this topic but most of it is not kind, so I'll leave it.

tfb, the deeper you go into this book, the more clear it becomes that people just feel entitled. Do most people really feel and behave this way? I don't know how you kept from throwing that book against the wall.

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