I don’t know about you but it is expensive to put kids into care.  Having two kids at once does make it more expensive, you have to double everything. In the news today there was a lady saying that she pays over $100 a day for child care (I would say for the cost she is in the city), I am assuming that is for one child. I would say that would need to be doubled for two kids.

Her theory of going back to work is a good one; she is trying to keep current in her chosen field. The more years you are out of the workforce the harder it is to get the next job.  I do agree with her, although I don’t want to go through all the stress and headache of putting kids into care to do a job that I do love, to not earn any money for it. With the rate of say $100 per day for one child it would not be a viable choice for me at all.

Here are some articles about childcare:

• Parents fork out 11 per cent more for childcare
• In defence of high childcare cost

I know child care workers are underpaid and not appreciated enough. My girls bloomed with the two years they went to child care; however we could only manage to send them for one day a week. This one day cost us nearly $100 for just the day for both the girls. I think the workers need to get paid more; however I don’t see how this increase won’t flow onto parents.  The issue I have with child care and parents especially mothers returning to the workforce is the cost and the issues around it. The government is losing out on a great number of skilled workers who are in the same boat as myself, would like to do a part time role or say part time in the office and the rest from home. However due to non-flexible arrangements, no family support, high child care costs, and probably other things I have not listed, working is out of the question while kids are young.

Is it practical for you to go back to work?  I for one would love the change and chance to shine again in the corporate world; however it is not possible for the major reason of childcare costs, family support, and also the fact that I would like to stay home until the kids are at least at school. Even when they are at school, as the primary care giver you only have the window of school hours barring any sickness, and of course you have to drop tools when school holidays roll around.

Now the kids are in pre-school that is a cost and it is as stated times two, adding child care into the mix is not possible for us at the moment. I for one don’t understand how women and some fathers do it.  How do you work for the sole purpose of paying the child care centre? What do you do if the money you make is not enough for the bills for the centre? How does factoring in the travel , clothes, food and all the extras for the job help with the fact that child care costs are deducted from your salary?  If I got a job in the city, I would have to hire a nanny or carer to mind kids before school and after, to drop and pick up from school and to also to wait until I got home after work. This would add to our costs, especially with pre-school and commuting to the city.

I do think it is great women are doing work as well, and would like to know how you do it all.  I find it difficult with two kids and not working in a paid job.  Tonight, on the news there was some talk that the government  will help with the costs for child care workers, I do agree this would help, although if and when it will happen is another thing entirely. It is sad that we cannot pay them more and have reasonable fees that will allow parents to go to work and to have kids in care. Send in your comments on how you manage to find the cash for child care and manage with a part time/full time job.

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