Mommy, Daddy, please come home (What children really want)

Ynet News (Israel) ^ | March 15, 2006 | Anat Lev-Adler

[yellowdoghunter]

Excellent post and I agree completely.

[Allegra]

Mommy, Daddy, please come home...

Soon, Dulcie and Finbar. Soon.

;-)

[stainlessbanner]

well said!

[Drumbo]

The Dollar
~ Jamey Johnson ~

Daddy hugs his little man
Says, "Son I’ve got to go."
And he pulls out of the drive and disappears.
As they walk back in the house
The young boy asks his mama,
"Where does daddy go when he leaves here?"

Mama tells her little man,
"Your daddy’s got a job
And when he goes to work they pay him for his time."
Well the young boy gets to thinking
And he heads up to his bedroom,
And comes running back with a quarter and four dimes ...

And says, "Mama how much time will this buy me?
Is it enough to take me fishing or throw a football in the street?
If I’m a little short then how much more does daddy need to spend some time with me?"

The young boy tells his mama,
"Now I know daddy’s busy
'Cause most times when he gets home it’s dark outside.
But tell him I’ve got me some pennies
Saved up from the tooth fairy
And I keep ‘em in my piggy bank and I believe there’s thirty-five."

"And Mama how much time will this buy me?
Is it enough to take me camping in a tent down by the creek?
If I’m a little short then how much more does daddy need to spend some time with me?"

"Mama how much time will this buy me,
Is it enough for just an afternoon, a day, or a whole week?
If I’m a little short then how much more does daddy need to spend some time with me?"

Mama takes her little man,
Sets him on her lap
And starts dialing up some numbers on the phone.
She says, "Daddy come home early
You don’t have to chase that dollar
Cause your little man has got one here at home."

---

[cspackler]

My wife's job affords her the flexibility to drop off and pick up our daughter from school. I work about 50 hours on average a week, but I have can come home at 5:00 almost every day to have our family time. I just work from home after the rest of the family goes to bed.

Sleep is overrated, families are not.

[MissEdie]

With regards to your tag line, because of those of us who "can't", those of you who do, CAN.

[Cindy_Cin]

My husband says that all the time & heres a shock, I agree.

[AppyPappy]

Women weren't forced. They chose to join the market place.

[Roos_Girl]

What a hoot! He's got a full time job as an electrical engineer. As a civil engineer, he and I have fairly equal incomes. You suggest a doubling of his salary for me to stay home, how?

[Snoopers-868th]

I really wonder about today's kids, and what it'll be like for my grand-kids. One thing is for sure, I'm going to be the grand-pa that tells the "back in my day" stories...

LOL. I am a parent telling the "back in my day" story to my adult kids. They have a hard time understanding because they have not experienced such a life. We both worked and Mom went to work only after kids were in school all day. We both drove together 1 hour each way meaning our day was a minimum of 10 hours. Dinner was home cooked every night and we all ate together. Kids had jobs to do after school and when they got to the upper grades in high school they worked part-time jobs.

We did not pay for college of any of them. We did however borrow the money. They paid/pay it back. Two were not college material and didn't last long. Two were. Of those two, one became a State trooper after 2 years of criminal justice classes and the other one graduated suma cum laude with 3 majors and 2 minors in teaching. She has not gone to work. She has 2 boys and lots of money to pay back on her loans. I am encouraging her to homeschool and enjoy her family. They are getting by at the present time on her husband's paycheck.

The two without college educations are doing well also. One works for Dept of Transportation and the other married a CPA. Regardless of their work or type of job--they were all raised to understand if you want to eat you have to work for it. None (including in-laws) are too proud that they would not dig a ditch if that was what fed them. All were married before they had children.

We did the best we could as most families do. The difference is values and priorities and everyone has a different definition and I believe that is based on the time they live in and what it takes to survive. Funny how they perceive the goings on in the world so differently. Privacy, freedom of speech, etc. They have adapted and conformed as taught by society. I never did conform and still don't. I have been referred to many many times as a rebel. Life moves on and the minority rule.

[Alberta's Child]

I think part of the problem was that in post-WW2 era we deluded ourselves into thinking that it was normal -- and sustainable over the long term -- for people to live an affluent suburban lifestyle miles and miles away from where they work.

That kind of model simply isn't going to hold up over time, and people are spending more and more time traveling to and from work than ever before.

[linda_22003]

There you go. You feel like you were "forced" to work, yet you chose a professional, remunerative career instead of just a "job". Hopefully you're getting more out of working than just a paycheck.

He'd have to do something to make up at least part of an income differential if you're planning to stay home at some point.

[originalbuckeye]

No, women weren't forced, but we were told that if you didn't work you weren't worth much. The women's movement has been very destructive to the woman's psyche. We are caught in a catch-22. If you do work outside the home, you aren't a good mom and if you don't work, outside the home, you aren't contributing to the family. Too many of us bought into this and now regret it. My son says he didn't miss out on anything. I was able to have him in daycare for an hour in the morning before school and I was home when he got out of school. I was Team Mom to most of his sports teams and when he was sick, I was able to go into work when my husband got home. I was running ragged, but I felt lucky to be able to be with him as much as possible and still work. I don't know what is the answer. We haven't lived an opulent lifestyle, a second income allowed us to own our home and take a yearly vacation. Can you tell me what perfection is in this situation?

[linda_22003]

The answer, of course, is there is no "perfection", just everyone trying to do the best they can for their own particular situation. Unfortunately, there are always plenty of people who are willing to tell you you're doing it "wrong", for going to work or for staying home. :-[

[Jeff Chandler]

Iirc, there was a significant inflation episode ... The trend got going late in the Nixon years, but was full-tilt by Carter.

Price controls and the winding down of the Vietnam war helped fuel inflation.

[GovernmentShrinker]

The government needs to hear complaints about how IT is driving up the cost of college, by providing huge subsidies to "needy" students. College has always cost whatever the market will bear, and if everyone is eligible for a deferred-interest loan to the tune of $5000+ a year, the sticker price of college tuition will go up by the same amount. Not to mention all the idiotic regulations (Title IX etc.) that the government forces colleges to comply with at significant cost, in order to participate in the financial aid gravy train that they have to participate in to be competitive with other colleges for getting students.

[Snoopers-868th]

The government needs to hear complaints about how IT is driving up the cost of college, by providing huge subsidies to "needy" students.

You mean the same IT that moved jobs out of the country so they could compete? The same IT that claimed cheaper labor has made the products more affordable say at WalMart?

Geez, I would think there should be no needy students in college or are the real complaints for Congress to find a way to finance these kids? Kids can still work and put themselves through college if they so choose. I tend to think these kids and their parents want a no money worry guarantee to college. If that isn't true--why are the parking lots at colleges so big and stuffed with cars? For that fact parking lots at the high schools are stuffed with pretty new cars. And who bought all those cars and pay to park them? Kids need to get a job and pay for or help their parents pay for their education. Overhead costs are part of the cost of education. Last I looked they were not provided by the school (books, pencils, parking, various fees, room and board, and on and on). IT is not relevant. It is no different than a book.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

WHY?

Why are we all working crazy hours?

By the time the weekend comes we're too tired to do anything.

When is enough enough?

Also, I'm a big believer in unstructured play. I watch some kids across the street invent very amusing activities without adult supervision. I remember being that smart once.

[henrygreen]

I have been an at-home mom for 13 years. I taught at a community college before that. I've been home schooling for 7 years.

We (my kids and I) have never watched the same movie over and over again. We don't watch TV because we don't have TV. We have a television set that we use for movies. And, we have the sense to watch a movie once and return it.

We read. We garden. We play piano. We draw and paint. We cook and bake. We talk to.....adults. We participate in community activities. Son is in sports. Daughter is in music.
I don't regret leaving the work force. But, I do shudder when I think of the possibility of having to go back to work. What a bore that would be.
It's not a good idea to think in stereotypes. The "bored at-home mom" is a stereotype. It's better to think of individuals. I am an individual mom at home who loves it.

[John O]

We don't have children yet, but I don't think either of us feel like we can afford them and time's starting to get short.

If you are ever going to have them have them NOW. You'll find a way to make ends meet. Money is always flexible. Time isn't. If you put off having the kids you may never and you will regret it.

No one can ever afford kids but have them anyway.

My wife (now passed on) and myself started very late. I find myself widowed with a 5 yr old daughter at the age of 45 desperately wanting more kids. Children are the only lasting mark we leave on this world. Have them while you can.