Working Mom to 2 Beautiful Kids
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| Thu, 07-06-2006 - 3:13pm |
In reading the other posts here, I feel the need to give my opinion (my mother-in-law's phrase - opinions are like rear-ends -- everyone has one and some stink worse than others - LOL!).
I'm an accountant. Granted, my job isn't physically demanding, but at times it is mentally challenging. There are days that I go home and I don't want to cook supper - I'd rather get a bucket of chicken or grab the family to go to the Mexican restaurant down the road to eat. I work 40 hours a week.
As for family's suffering because I work, I think it's give-and-take. Because of my income, we can afford things we wouldn't otherwise be able to have. My kids are able to take piano lessons (yes, they want to - it was their idea), one is in the band at school (who knew a clarinet costs $1,300???) and plays softball and basketball, her little brother is playing football (again, I had to fork out $65 up front - there's no telling how much more I'll have to fork out once practices start!). We drive a minivan with an entertainment system, we get to go to the beach for a week each year. My kids are flying to Dallas next week (we live in Alabama) to visit my sister for the next week. Plane tickets are expensive. All of these things we couldn't do without my income. Since both of my kids are school age, the only time I don't see them that I would if I were a SAHM is 1 1/2 hours in the afternoon during the schoolyear and during the day in the summers. I take them to school - I pick them up at 4:30.
The sacrifices we make because I work - my house isn't as clean as I would like for it to be, my house is a zoo every morning, I have a MOUNTAIN of laundry to do on Saturday, I have to wait for vacation days or holidays to repaint bedrooms or rearrange furniture.
My sister and 4 sisters-in-law all have the luxury (yes, LUXURY) of not having to work. I can't call them before 9 am because most times they aren't out of the bed yet. They call me all day long while I'm at work - "whatcha doin'?" Duh, I'm working!! One of them is on the computer on and off all day long - I know cause I'm sitting here in front of mine and I can see when she logs on and off the messenger program. They wonder why I don't have time to hit this sale or that one. Well, after working all day, shlepping the kids to 14 different activities, I really would rather not go shopping.
One other thing I don't think SAHMs realize - we working mothers aren't shirking our household responsibilities. I still have the house sitting there, waiting for me to come home to clean it. Dinner still has to get to the table. Laundry still has to be washed. Kids still have to be attended to.
I think to each his own - I was a SAHM while my 2 were babies - I couldn't imagine another woman receiving those yummy baby kisses or catching those toddler falls. But that was my preference -- as tired as I am each evening, I can't imagine coming home and taking care of a baby!

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I don't know...this touches a big button for me, so bear with me.
My grandfather went into a very nice nursing home and it was totally miserable for him. After a few days he told my mother, "Get me out of here. I want to go home and die in my own house."
And that's what he did. I'm just grateful that they hadn't had to sell it to get him into the nursing home.
You are confusing MediCARE with MediCAID.
MediCARE is essentially health insurance for people over 65 and disabled persons under 65. When one works, 1.45% of our salary goes to cover MediCARE costs. Plus, when one is old enough for MediCARE, one pays a monthly fee for coverage- there is a choice of coverage and different monthly rates based on that choice. Plus, there are co-pays and decuctibles and things not covered that a person has to pay out of pocket. It does not cover long term care (aka Nursing Home costs). It has been estimated that a retired couple will need $200k to cover the medical costs not covered by their health insurnace (be it MediCARE or private insurance).
MediCAID is a health program for poor people regardless of age. It covers Nursing Home costs. In order to qualify for MediCAID a person has to fall below a certain income and net worth level. This is not covered by MediCARE. It is a separate program funded by regular taxes. The eligibility requirements for MediCAID are changing this year. For the most part, any payments made to children, grand children or institutions (eg Church) in the five years *preceding* entering into a nursing home disqualifies that person from becoming eligible for MediCAID forever.
Yes, but if you do not save anything for your retirement, then that is what will happen. Lesson #1, save for your retirement. Any little bit is better than none.
I am glad your loved one got to go home.
Edited 7/10/2006 11:09 am ET by lauren1063
You're so stuck on this and it's just laughable to me.
Many debates take turns and twists. I have the ability to (and the option to) agree with something you have said and disagree with something else you may have said *gasp* within the same post!
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