Childcare
On our summer holidays we had a baby.
And with the joy of Georgia’s arrival managing the night has reached a new level of complexity. For parents of young families this is one of the great challenges of life.
Night feeds, bad dreams, wet beds and sleep walking have been part and parcel of the night shift in our house for more than a decade now. Yet of the four children easily the busiest at night, at least for now, has been Harvey.
Since recently becoming a mother, I seem to have developed an obsession with cake. And it has nothing to do with knowing I should really shun chocolate éclairs if I’m going to fit into a pre-baby size 10 again.
No, what I’ve been grappling with is my determination to have it all when it comes to balancing family and work. The desire to return to my stressful, you’d-have-to-be-mad-to-work-here job without relinquishing the joys and challenges of my newfound role as a parent.
So there it is in all its unfashionable, unrealistic glory: the desire to want the proverbial cake and eat it too.
Continue reading "Sniping at working mothers is no solution at all" »
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Kidfree! says:
What is it about having children that turns normal women into psychotic, jealous, sniping harpies? So some mothers work, that is their decision or their need, so what? Some women have to, and working mums don’t find the mindless, never ending baby talk and drudgery of motherhood endlessly fascinating. SAHMs… Read more »
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john le mez says:
the first five years are crucial - it’s when the blueprint is laid down. you can’t get this time back, and expensive lounges, sunglasses, SUVs, pools and holidays will not do the trick. now, let’s say you have two kids two years apart and decide to wait until both are… Read more »
Close examination of the Rudd Government’s much-touted childcare reforms brings to mind the wonderful quote by Milton Friedman “the government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem”.
In this case, it may in fact be worse.
Labor’s proposals for more highly qualified staff in all childcare services, and lower child:staff ratios in the name of “quality care” are, on the face of it, very worthy. What self-respecting human being doesn’t want the very best for our children? How can an emphasis on “quality” be anything but laudable?
Continue reading "Future of childcare: where have all the parents gone?" »
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pdev says:
Bec I agree with you completely. Have 2 children now 15 and 12. They spent 2-3 days in long day care from ages 1-5. Still talk fondly of their carers, the food and their friends, Most of the stay at home brigade are lazy, poorly educated and have very limited… Read more »
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Lisa says:
Personally, I think the nuclear family is great. I love my mother-in-law, but having to live with her 24hours a day? No, thank you. I’d rather visit you at Christmas, (and look after my own kids in the meantime). Read more »
Generation X (broadly defined as those born 1961-1981) was labelled the “me” generation by their earnest baby boomer parents – they were regarded as self-absorbed and too selfish to commit to marriage and parenting.
So what happens when the “me” generation is in charge of the next generation?
The fact is that the vast majority of today’s parents with children aged 0-12 years are Gen Xers – myself included. The popular perception is that the Gen Xers who grew up in the era of “outsourcing” have taken it literally and are now outsourcing all aspects of family life – most especially childcare.
Continue reading "The me generation in charge of the who generation?" »
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paulm says:
I’m GenX. My child is cared for by grandparents 3 days a week and his mum the other 2 days (who works the other 3 days). I get time off for leave, plus can sometimes get overtime in credit for extra days off. But ideally we’d both love to take… Read more »
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Formersnag says:
in my experience all parenting has been slipping progressively since feminism came along. Just wait until the next generation come along, who were neglected/abused by their deadbeat single mothers curtesy of the baby bonus. God help them. Read more »
A peculiar thing about the Puddin’ was that, though they had all had a great many slices off him, there was no sign of the place whence the slices had been cut. ‘That’s where the Magic comes in,’ explained Bill. ‘The more you eats the more you gets.’ - Norman Lindsay’s The Magic Pudding
Generations of Aussie children have been captivated by Norman Lindsay’s classic story centred on the exploits of Albert, a somewhat devious pudding who had the magical quality of being anything the eater desired and, fortunately, limitless in quantity.
It’s no wonder Albert appeals to children of all ages - he epitomises the hedonistic and naïve dream of “having your cake and eating it too” (literally).
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Elizabeth says:
Perhaps Mr Rudd, Mr Swan and Ms Ellis would like to visit regional Australia and find for me - a working mum of two - these childcare vacancies. I have looked…and I can not find. Thank you Sophie. Read more »
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Numble says:
Very good article. Please can we hear more thoughtful articles like this one from Liberal politicians? Tony Abbott’s written a few lately too. Take the fight to the spin, take the fight to The Government, but do it on merits. Read more »
The shocking case last week of a two-year-old Victorian girl being savagely beaten has once again raised the issue of child abuse into the headlines.
It has started an important debate about when to remove children from their parents and what constitutes a child at risk.
Despite some horrifying high profile cases in recent years, child abuse is a problem that many Australians still think is limited to a certain section of the community.
While this view might make it easier for us to sleep at night, it does nothing to protect the more than 30,000 Australian children who were abused or neglected last year.
Continue reading "Child abuse is still our national shame" »
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Anon says:
Jeremy: There are scientifically proven prevention programs that reduce child abuse. Many of the times they are not available or not implemented correctly. Rick: You’re an idiot. The welfare of the community (including children) is everyone’s responsibility and not just the parents. If the parents are not coping and all… Read more »
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Rick says:
The community is not responsible, the parents are! If you think society is the problem then it is time for society to take action and remove the rights of some people to have children (i.e. Sterilisation) . If you think it can’t be done then stop blaming the government for… Read more »
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