Is the 7$ daycare price too low during a second maternity leave?

Here in Quebec, our taxes are quite high. Are they too high? Most people would probably say that yes, they’re way too high, especially when compared to the rest of North America. For me, I like to think that we get services for our “investment”, particularly if you get a university degree, get sick or have kids. For the last point, I’m fairly convinced this is true for Quebec families ever since the provincial government
increased its funding of a prolonged maternity leave and started subsidizing daycare (7$ a day!). There is even talk of a mini baby boom since the implementation of these programs. In the case of the 7$ daycare program, like many popular government programs (free in-vitro fertilization programs come to
mind), places are limited and oh so sought after. I’m very lucky that my company has set-up such a daycare at my workplace. Convenient and cheap. Since my wife is now pregnant with our second child, I have added my future little mini-me (or mini-her) to the daycare’s waiting list and I’m rather confident
that this child will have a place when my wife will be ready to go back to work in early 2013. However, I feel a little guilty (not sure that is the right word) that my oldest child will be going to 7$ daycare while my wife is home on a one year maternity leave with the baby. Of course, it will make life easier for us and it ensures continuity for my child. It would be odd to have him in daycare for one year, then out, and then back in a year later. And we definitely wouldn’t want to lose our place. But, does it make any sense to ask the population to subsidize the fact that it will be easier for my wife to send the oldest to daycare? Technically, since she is at home, she could be taking care of him. For me, it seems to fall more in the “privilege” category rather than the “necessity” category. So, in this age of deficits and budget constraints, maybe this “one size fits all” funding approach should be reviewed. But then again, I’m afraid that after these 5 years of eventual daycare, I will return to paying way more into the system then I will be getting out. So maybe I should just shut my pie hole before someone reads this, agrees and cancels this wonderful family perk 🙂

 

 

Terrible Two…

Right now, my biggest headache is my son. Wait, can I write that or will this come back to haunt me during his teenage years or during an eventual custody battle? Anyway, this creature is not my son. He clearly has been possessed by some sort of demon. I was reading up on different sites to learn how to perform an exorcism. Alas, it seems he simply suffers from the Terrible Twos. I figured that since he was closer to 3 than 2 that we were probably out of the woods and that we had avoided the worst. Wrong. Since our family trip to California last month, my child has decided to experience all possible mood swings every single day. The highs are really high and the lows, well they simply suck. And, all these personality variations can switch up every 5 minutes or so. Lovely stuff! But, the little bugger remains a cutie so that makes it all the more frustrating! Basically, I think he is just testing my patience as I have been doing with my parents for the last 33 years or so. What goes around…

Exhibit A

Here we go again!

Well, this will be my second serious attempt at blogging. I really have no idea why though. It’s not like I have any free time. Whatever time is not used up by sleep, work and family could probably be put to better use… I don’t really know what I will be blogging about. Probably stuff from every day life that will not amuse you! Ok, there I go with some of the false modesty. You will be hanging on my every word! Seriously, there is just something about writing that is good for the brain and the soul. I really feel as though the act of writing forces me to better organize my thoughts, feelings, impressions, etc. Some I probably get more out of it than I would freely admit. My last blog was in French so this time around, my bilingual brain will give it a try in Shakespeare language this time around.

I look forward to complaining, I mean, sharing my thoughts on all things over the next few months. A bientôt!