by Mama Hippo
I've posted about this topic before, and it's led to some pretty heated discussions. But I'll post about it again because I think it's important.
And also because I think it's utterly ridiculous that the U.S. is THE ONLY developed nation that does not have any sort of paid leave for new mothers.
In fact, the US is one of only FOUR other nations IN THE WORLD who do not have some sort of national paid leave program. The other 3 nations? Papua New Guinea, Swaziland, and Lesotho.
Click below to send a letter to your congressperson to let them know that you support instituting The Family Leave Insurance Act:
http://www.momsrising.org/NationalPaidFamilyLeave
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Comments (8)
why should the government subsidize a woman for having a child?
Thanks for sharing the link so our voices can be heard and maybe we won't be the only developed nation w/o this kind of leave for too much longer!
i think its sad that the US doesnt have a paid maternity leave. but what's sadder is that companies who do offer some sort of leave under the FMLA only pay for up to 6 or 8 weeks. having just had a baby - i can say that 6 weeks is NOT enough time!! many other countries are giving up to 6 months, and i dont see why we cant do the same. asking you to leave a 6 week old newborn with someone else is ridiculous.
as for the government subsidy comment - i see his point, but at the same time, it shows what this country's values are. we dont value the time that it takes for a newborn to bond to their monthers and adjust to this world. other countries do. we just happen to be in the minority.
The idea of the government paying me to stay home with my kids is the same as welfare. I don't like it, I don't want it. Somewhere, down the road, there will be strings attached. And those strings will not be of the pro-Christianity, pro-family sort. In the infamous words of Dwight K. Schrute, "Don't want it. Don't need it." I understand that 6 weeks is not enough. I've been there myself. However, our government has developed a system and an economy that truly discourages stay-at-home moms. I'd rather have fewer taxes than be on the government's dole.
@wilson_li@xanga - Because that child is going to grow up and be paying your social security when you're old and retired.
Because it is unethical to force a woman to go back to work a week after giving birth (easily one of the most physically strenuous things a woman will put her body through, and that's not even counting c-sections which are invasive surgeries), because she cannot afford to stay home without pay.
Because doesn't it say something when every other country in the WORLD has decided this is a good thing to do??
@Punk_Rock_Mommy@xanga - I'm glad you don't need it. What about all the families that do?
And how would this be different from all the other things that government provides, like roads and schools, etc? Are there string attached with those as well? I'm not saying pay women to be stay-at-home mothers. I'm saying let's give all mothers (and fathers) the option to stay at home for a couple months and get a chance to bond with their infants. It doesn't even have to be full pay. I bet getting 50% would make a huge difference to many families out there.
@mamahippo - Re: Social Security. It will not be there when I'm ready to retire. Social Security is nothing more than a loan to the government from tax payers to do what they want with it. It's a horrible system anyway that gives people a false sense of security.
Re mothers & fathers staying home for a couple of months: They can. Just not on my dime.
I think it's ridiculous too. I worked as a Pre-K teacher in a childcare center, and I was surprised that the company (it's a big company that does corporate childcare) doesn't even offer more time off for new moms. You would think that they understand it is important to stay home with your child for awhile. I guess I can't complain because I got almost 5 months off (3 of those months was "paid" about 50% of what I make), and I heard that at some places/states, you have to get back to work after 6 weeks? But I wasn't even guaranteed my same position if I did end up going back.
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