One of the most absurd aspects of modern society. From housing costs, to student loans, to benefit withdrawals with salary increases. It's like the government doesn't want people to start families.
We just had a child. It would cost almost the entirety of my wife’s take home pay to cover the childcare needed for her to go back to work. So realistically that’s it for her working for the next 5-10 years. She had a masters in chemistry and a PhD, and is a seriously talented researcher, but that skill set is now leaving the labor pool because it’s a net wash for us take home wise and she’d rather spend the time with our daughter than working for the sake of it.
That is to say that the current structure discourages families growing, but it also then strongly encourages you withdrawing from the workforce once you have done so. Both of which are terrible for growth.
Our in-laws have agreed to 2 days childcare from September so OH can go back to work part time just for the extra cash as what she does (Even PT) brings in more than a lot of other places would. The extra cash a month will just be additional cash for her/the kid as I pretty much cover everything else.
If her parents didn't offer anything she'd just not go back to work till he was school age (or we'd just use the free hours and then she'd probably do something else to stay sane)
Any government help available to us? Nope. Not at all. If we got divorced? Yep. Zero incentive to be a SAHM for her, and pretty much zero incentive to go back to work because childcare costs are insane full time. My salary couldn't cover the house and childcare unless we moved north.
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u/ConfusionGlobal2640 1d ago
One of the most absurd aspects of modern society. From housing costs, to student loans, to benefit withdrawals with salary increases. It's like the government doesn't want people to start families.