As I was making the trek to my kids' daycare this morning, I was doing the calculations...How many hours would I have to work this pay period to make sending them to daycare worth my while. Three kids at $2.35 an hour--WAIT A MINUTE!!! $2.35 an hour? Is that really all I pay her?
That is one of the things that bothers me about America. We like to think that our children are our priorities. But when we look at the cold hard facts, they say otherwise. My daycare provider is WONDERFUL! I cannot say enough good things about her. She treats my children as if they are her own, and in a way, they are. And I only pay her $7.05 an hour to watch all three of them?! That seems fucked up. Elder care is the same way.
Our children and elderly are the most vulnerable populations we have. We have to pay others to care for them. We put our trust in these individuals to care for those we care most about. And then we pay them squat? It seems pretty backwards.
So this is your challenge, oh faithful readers. This week, don't bitch about the cost of daycare or elder care. Tell your provider "thank you" at the end of the day, at the end of the week. And if you have the means, give them a tip. That's right. Skip a morning coffee at McDonald's for a week and let those who care for our most precious little (and big) people know that they are appreciated. Because what we pay them certainly does not reflect the job that they do, or if it does, maybe you need to reevaluate your provider. Because my kids are worth a LOT more than $2.35 an hour.
Mo- I love this... I realized yesterday this same thing.. that the people who are care takers for our family members young or old are not given the credit they need. While spending time with my Grandma yesterday in her assistanted living community.. Thank you for letting some of us remember that we can't take things for granted!
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