DC when you don’t work..

Why do some mothers have their kids in daycare over half the week (not talking kindy) when they are a SAHP?

I understand why you would want 1 day, maybe 2 if that was the minimum you had to take, but a friend has just enrolled her daughter in another day (so 3 full days) and will be enrolling their 2nd child when he turns 1 next year, for 2-3 days. She's not working, and complains about a lack of money, yet spends $35 a day on childcare for one child? WTF?

I'm starting to get really pi**ed at friends of mine who choose to be SAHM's complaining to me about never having free time when they only have 1 or 2 kids and have them in DC half the week anyway, and their spouses come home and get the kids ready for bed! They whinge about being tired and being a SAHM, yet only have to parent half the time. This is not what being a SAHM used to entail, and TBH I just find it lazy and a waste of money. God forbid I even take a day off on a DC day as I refuse to waste our hard-earned money so I can do jobs I should be doing in my own time.

Is our society becoming one of SAHM's needing this luxury? Or am I just bitter because I am basically a solo parent, working fulltime yet still see no need to waste our money on items like that when we have other bills to pay? Don't get me wrong, if I was rich, maybe 1-2 days a week would be great, but if you can't afford it, why whinge when you can do something about it?

Sorry rant over - feel free to whinge about something else that makes you irritable!

Yeah I definitely understand that too.

This mum just said to me that she's sick of her daughter sitting watching TV all day so she's going to put her in DC. Awesome parenting skills there!

I think a couple of days is ok for a break for sure.

but if your not working then i personally think its a bit lazy and self indulgent and also, why have kids if you cant be bothered looking after them.
I understand if you have to go to work, ive been there, but its a sad if its for your own selfish reasons

But then again everyone has different reasons so i dont want to generalise and say that about everyone.........

I would at the very least be studying

Flissty - I can totally understand that side of things, I have friends that have kept places for a whole year because they love their DC's - I know I probably would too.

I am glad I'm not the only one of that opinion though - must admit I thought I'd get a bullocking just after I posted this

Thanks

* i can totaly see where you are coming from Flissty - you will have a newborn baby , you will definatly be working and you will need rest!!!! lol , im aiming more at people with one or older children

I was going to say that I'm in Flissty's boat too - Nat's in fulltime care this year while I study, but come the beginning of next year we're hoping to keep her in 2-3 days a week while I'm at home with the new baby. It will be for about a year till I start at work fulltime Jan 2012 (assuming there's a teaching job for me ).

I know that Nat thrives where she is (also home-based care), and has built up such a great relationship with her carer and the other kids that I don't want to lose that, especially as we're hoping she plus new baby will both go there when I start work.

TBH, I don't know if I could cope with both kiddies at home all the time especially after having been back to 'grown-up land' this year

I think thats kinda me!

DS1 goes 2 days a week and DS2 goes 1 day a week. I work a half day so have one whole afternoon to just me. I must say its bliss.

I kept DS1 in fulltime from the time I left work on Mat leave (30 weeks) until #2 was 6 weeks old and I highly recommend it to anyone that can afford it. It was awesome getting to bond with my baby.

I kept #1 in for 2 days a week because prior to that he had been full time and I really believe he would have missed it had I pulled him out of DC altogether.

I don't plan on returning to work at this stage but have both kids booked in for 2 days next year and will see what happens.

Each to their own I guess. We can afford it and I don't complain about money etc so I think that makes it ok

I dont really see the difference between 2 or 3 days really .. like its ok for them to go twice a week but not three times?

I never understood kidlets going into care for any days when one parent stays at home, I figure they chose to stay home to look after the kids so there break should be on weekends like other working folk.

However I have a different pov if one child was in dc and then mum had another and stopped working, then I can see why you would leave your first born in their routine.

lilfatty wrote: I never understood kidlets going into care for any days when one parent stays at home, I figure they chose to stay home to look after the kids so there break should be on weekends like other working folk.

It doesn't work like that a lot of the time though....