Childcare is probably one of the few benefits that most people would jump on should they get the chance, because it would allow us to keep working (and feed our unhealthy attitudes towards work). Our mental model towards work, perpetuates an unhealthy work ethic, one that focuses on hyper-productivity and speed. However, we don’t do much to help ourselves… Our mental models However, we wouldn’t need many of these benefits to such a degree, childcare included, if our society was not so focused on extracting every last ounce of time and effort from the worker. In other words, these “benefits” are designed solely to maintain the status quo by keeping you and the greater business running at the same or higher level of productivity, ideally with absolutely minimal impact to the bottom line. Even welfare or socialist states provide such benefits because they understand the threat falling birth rates will have on their economies in the future. Employees are also less likely to leave the company, essentially knowing that their security is tied to their employer. With accessible childcare, more people can enter or return to the workforce and faster - especially women. However, the provision of childcare (and many other benefits) is not done out of altruism or sense of community, but rather because it is beneficial to the economy and to business. After all, they are given the choice to start a family while continuing to work. As you might expect, many employees in turn are incredibly thankful for this, especially in countries with weak social systems. Some are starting to provide paid parental leave, and still others are even providing the opportunity for female employees to freeze their eggs, or breastfeed at work. In what looks like a win for progressive attitudes, many companies, especially in the absence of government support, are beginning to provide the option for employees to bring their kid’s to work, or even have their own day care facilities. Ironically, the provision of childcare, reinforced by our own mental models, actually makes it less likely our work ethic will change and instead will perpetuate the status quo. The effects of this on the individual, their children and society as a whole need no explanation. It makes them more susceptible to continuous exhaustion, stress and anxiety which on a good day results in households with less empathetic, caring, patient and present parents, and on a bad day results in broken marriages, substance abuse, domestic violence and child neglect. These things put insane amounts of pressure on parents to juggle family commitments. but given our currently reality, it doesn’t address the underlying issue, the issue that creates the paralyzing need for childcare in the first place - our work ethic and our obsession with productivity and economic growth as well as spiralling costs of living. While I’m among the first to admit that childcare is immensely helpful and even if life was utopia and we didn’t have to work, some form of childcare would still be nice…. While understanding that we all need to earn a living, I’m starting to find it increasingly frustrating that we must design our lives around work rather than the other way around. Childcare is a necessary but ultimately guilty relief to many parents. However what I have started to notice is that my mental model, and that of many friends and colleagues, has been warped to prioritize work and treat our children like a hinderance to my productivity and my career. As you can imagine even if you don’t have kids, working while at the same time looking after your child, is nearly impossible, so most of us are glad if the opportunity arises for childcare. As the cost of living increases, the pressure to earn enough money and keep your job is stressful enough without having children to support and nurture. Quality and affordable childcare is an amenity that is highly sought after and vigorously debated over in the “western world”. The thought of not having them in day care at all, at least part time, is enough for stress levels to go through the roof. Whether its needing to pick them up from day care unexpectedly, a routine doctor’s visit, or even if they need to stay home sick and someone needs to look after them… the stress and logistics around how to cope with the generally unrelenting expectations to keep up at work can be overwhelming. Like many parents, I’m guilty of complaining when my daughter interferes with my work life.
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