Being More Comfortable in my own Skin...

Today was one of Gibby's Preschool days. While he was in class I sat with a couple of other mothers in the lobby chatting about this and that. They each had a younger child with them (around 6 mo- 9 mo) and the topic came up of 'going back to work'. Both spoke about it as though it was unavoidable and I got the impression that it was for different reasons, none of which were a desire to actually be at work. Both mothers cited financial reasons and one of them also cited the fear of losing seniority. I know this is one of the things that frustrates me. Not that I can't be home. Because I can. It is because it has become a luxury to be able to stay home. A few months ago, my sister sent me an article about daycare funding which summed it up for me... "Fund the Child". If the money follows the child, then people could determine more freely how to provide care for their children. By putting the funding solely into daycare, it leaves little option for those who might be 'on the cusp' of affording to stay home. I want more choice and I want social acceptability to come with all the choices. If, as a society, we only put dollars towards one choice then we are saying that that is the only choice with value. Personally, I think it might even be one of the least valuable choices for the children.