Dear Dr. Laura:
Today at the salon, a woman who has a one year old and is a teacher was asked who was watching the baby, since it was already summer break from school, and she wasn't working. The woman answered flippantly, "
Oh, she's at day care, of course! If I took her out during the summer, we would lose that spot!" I was shocked and more than a little sad and angry to realize that not only does this baby spend nine to twelve hours a day at day care during the school year, but also during the summer while her mom is not working!
I am a mom to two teenage boys, and I left the corporate world almost seventeen years ago. My husband and I were married ten years before our first was born, giving us ample time to work crazy hours, take fantastic trips, spend money on frivolous things and just generally have fun being young and childless. When we went from to incomes to one, money was a little tight, but I have never regretted quitting a job where they replaced me "
like that" to raise our sons. There have been many times over the years that my husband and I have thanked each other for the privilege of living our roles of husband and wife, dad and mom to the best of our abilities. The satisfaction of spending every day with our sons and watching them go from little boys who always knew mommy was there to respectful, funny, kind-hearted young men who STILL know mommy is there is something I can and will be proud of for the rest of my life. No job on earth could ever give me this joy. Thank you for fighting the good fight!
Katherine
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