My daughter and her husband both work full time in interesting and rewarding careers with great benefits, especially healthcare and including some support for child care. My daughter especially is able to get a European level of maternity leave of around 30 weeks, stitched together from a variety of categories of leave. This leaves people gaping with wonder when I tell them.
Both parents plan to take the leave allowed by their employers and my daughter, recently promoted, wants to return to work. They consult me on finding childcare for infants and toddlers, using my experience as an early childhood coach, preschool director and preschool teacher. We do come up with a list of local programs who meet my requirements for teacher/child ratios, quality program and child focused philosophy. However, on further investigation, even with two full time adults earning good money, this proves to be unaffordable for the first years, especially with a new mortgage being added to the budget. They want to have a home of their own in time for the birth.
So, the plan becomes that I will provide child care until it’s time to go to preschool, which is not as costly as infant care. As I am not as fit as I was when I had my three children in my 30s, I will need some help with my housework. I also love gardening. It may be that, as with being a mother, I will no longer prioritize all the tasks of keeping home and garden up as much. It takes a village to raise a child. Extended family is a wonderful thing to have around.
NanaKim 