PB: speaking for myself: I didn't have access to any paid Mat leave... but economic reasons did play a part. My DH earned too much for us to receive more than about $2 a week in child care relief... and we couldn't afford to pay $600 a week (to have two children in full time care) upfront. I know we would have got 50% back eventually... but I did the sums and it simply wasn't worth it to work outside the home. Also having worked in childcare I had a bit of an insiders perspective and good places were virtually impossible to get into anyhow. Staying at home just made so much more sense. And actually... being at home for my teenager after school has, in reality, been just as important as being home for my younger ones.
Jennifer, good point!! We are an uneducated town, and the closest uni is an hour away, the next, 3 hrs away... so parents have to be able to afford uni, and them living away from home.... so few actually go.....
Bath, my sister is in the same boat!! her DD is at my sons preschool, and her weekly fee is more than my monthly one, and Za goes more days then her DD! She couldn't earn enough to cover the cost if she returned to work and lost all of her CCB....
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks