Just found out DH will be heading to Rhode Island for almost a week next month.

Come with him.

Lack of adequate PAID maternity (and paternity) leave in this country is criminal to me, as is affordable daycare.

Motherhood Manifesto sets out a lot of these points pretty well, and sometimes from the employers standpoint - companies that really are family-friendly retain quality employees much better than other companies. It's cheaper for the company in the long run.

And parents (and by this I mean mothers, since fathers don't seem to suffer this bias) who NEED the job to provide for their kids aren't going to be fuckups at work (if they can help it).

I took the boys to work with me until they were 2 and too active. At that time I did a lot of service work and training. I'd show up at the office that needed my services and announce that I was nursing and ask if they minded. Not a single time did anyone object. I worked in banks, law offices, medical offices. They all took it in stride. Amazing how cooperative people are when their software don't work.

You are my hero. Tell me again how old you were when you had those babies? t props chin in hands

sj, is there United Cerebral Palsy branch near you? I know you don't have CP, but a) they work with people with various disabilities and b) I know they do some employment placement with people trying to not frell their benefits.

sj, is there United Cerebral Palsy branch near you? I know you don't have CP, but a) they work with people with various disabilities and b) I know they do some employment placement with people trying to not frell their benefits.

Huh. That's interesting. I should look into that, because the Spina Bifida Association is really not helpful.

sj - I wish. I'd love to play while he works, but that is not time I can take from work, plus my mom is not up to taking care of the kids on her own. I know they are grown enough that they don't need a lot, but she doesn't know how to let them just take care of themselves.

sj - I wish. I'd love to play while he works, but that is not time I can take from work, plus my mom is not up to taking care of the kids on her own. I know they are grown enough that they don't need a lot, but she doesn't know how to let them just take care of themselves.

I figured you would say that, but I had to try. Let me know if your DH needs recommendations of where to eat, etc.

Conversations like this one are why I'm incredibly ambivalent about the Work Incentive thing.(Well, that and the fact my saying "I'm a journalism school graduate" leads people to say "Guess you can type a lot then." and not much else.) I wanna be a 'citizen" right...pay my bills, all those things. But I don't want to kill myself getting to Telemarket Hell every day. ETA: THen typing that makes me feel like I think I'm all that, which I don't, not really, and I know if it wasn't hard, it wouldn't be work. But if I do that, it will be fuckin' life and I won't have time to do the things for which I have talent.

USians without any dependents who would just like some flextime in order to have lives that don't entirely revolve around the convenience of their corporate overlords -- that's just craxy talk.)

no kids here, and there won't be any. however, real flexibility would make a difference in most people's happiness. DH has never minded working hard. but it would be really nice if when he worked all weekend - a day, or even half a day was not a big deal. Hell, it would be nice if on his on call week , he could get some sleep and go in late - because all calls come in between 3 and 5am - east coast time.

even my job has some crazy aspects. for example - I alternate friday and saturdays off. There are weeks when it would be nice to switch with someone ( or even alternate am /pm hours) . can't be done. has to be a vacation day. The staff has figured out ways to do this - like only one switch per quarter per person.

That doesn't make me sound like I'm Too Good, does it? Because I'm not. My mother has had every crap job, ever.

Yeah, erika, I think one of the things that strikes me most about you is how stuck-up and holier-than-thou you are.

By which I mean to say, no. Possibly hell no. t checks Yep, hell no.