Comments on: Baby and Daddy … or Baby and Sitter?

By: opinionated teen

opinionated teen — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:47:48 +0000

Umm……..You kind of lost me, KRM. Being a teenager and therefore not savvy on such subjects as tenures and pensions, I haven’t the slightest idea. However, it seemed to me that Mrs. Mays’ job payed well enough that both Mr. Mays and his wife should have a comfortable retirement, even if he never goes back to work. But I think he will. He seemed to enjoy teaching us.

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By: hrw

hrw — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:58:31 +0000

but all her time counts with the pension in NJ.

Did she continue to pay into the pension fund? If not, its a very generous plan.

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By: NJLawyer

NJLawyer — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:47:05 +0000

My sister is a teacher and she took maternity leave from December 1977 through 1981. Then they asked her if she was ever coming back, and since she didn’t want to leave her kids until the youngest was in all day school, she gave up her tenure and started all over again a few years later, but all her time counts with the pension in NJ. All she had to do was get tenure again.

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By: montyfisherwoof

montyfisherwoof — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:17:05 +0000

I have stereotypical viewpoint on the roles in parenting. They are tempered by the fact that most of the ‘chores’ can be done by male or female. I would in general say that the father should be the one to teach the kids how to tie their shoes, how to ride bicycles, how to shoot a rifle or pistol, how to fly the plane, and how to make geldings. That being said, my first ground school was taught by a woman, and I would go with anyone for a flight no matter who was piloting the plane. I have been aloft with many a ninety nine.

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By: hrw

hrw — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:07:25 +0000

15
Its financed through the Employment Insurance program which is funded through payroll deductions in the same way private health insurance is. The funds are then invested in whats considered safe; T-bills, bonds, utilities, etc. Currently it runs a surplus. Its not pay as you go (neither is the Canada Pension Plan) which seems to be the problem in the US.

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By: royclay

royclay — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:20:28 +0000

KRM,

Good question! You’d have to do a full discounted stream of earnings and pensions for both him and his wife, and bring in actuarial tables estimating their future life spans and years of pensions and of course other benefits as well. Could get pretty hairy!

But surely you don’t think he’s devalued because his wife earns more in her career than a teacher does? You aren’t saying being a stay-at-home dad is less valuable than being a work out of the home mom, are you??

I feel waaay more valuable the days I am a stay-at-home dad, than when I am in the office.

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By: krm

krm — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:53:10 +0000

Opinionated Teen – did the math teacher figure in the hit to his pension? Just curious. Many public pension plans are defined benefit plans that pay out at a percentage of the FINAL salary one earns, with the percentage coming at steps (say 1.5 to 2.5%) per year worked.

Men have been aggressively devalued in US culture for a long time, many of us are sort of used to it by now.

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By: kBells

kBells — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:52:08 +0000

HRW, who pays for it?

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By: arcadia

arcadia — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:24:23 +0000

Son-in-law #2 stayed home for almost a year after birth of son until he got a firefighter job. Supported by engineer daughter.

Current close male semi-relative presently staying home indefinitely when wife’s maternity leave ends this week. She’s a contract admin making over 100K and likely to start her own firm later this year. He’s a very, very good, but overly choosy custom builder. Not much to choose from these days!Does some roofing when he feels like it.

Son-in-law #3 anticipating being laid off once the FDIC gets around to closing his bank. Daughter/marriage counselor will support even if he goes back to school for teaching certificate (what he always wanted to do anyway).

Women in the workforce is by far the biggest social change in this country within my lifetime. Generally I think it has depressed wages, but slightly increased household income.

The best thing “family values” conservatives could do is push for a Euro-style child raising subsidy. Or at least paid FMLA.

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By: hrw

hrw — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:15:10 +0000

I see nobody wants to take on a paid maternity/paternity leave program. BTW its not pay as you go but rather financed through payroll premiums (much like workplace health benefits are financed)

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