Tammy
SOC 402 Contemporary Social Problems & the Workplace
Instructor: Shannon Sellers
December 16, 2013
Childcare and the Working Parent
Since the 1970’s, one of the most drastic changes in the structure of the American family has been increased employment of mothers outside the home. The need for alternative childcare has become an issue. The need for childcare is an issue that most parents face when one or both parents work outside the home. Finding suitable childcare for your child is one of parenting’s most important and most difficult tasks. All parents want the best for their children and affordable, competent, loving caregivers top the list (Rossetti, 2007a). If …show more content…
The benefits are very rewarding as well. My daughter is a very bright individual. She is at the top of her class. I am not saying this because she is my child but because the director of the facility also says the same; as well as other parents who comment as to how smart she is!
Parents might not have anyone to take care of their child so they choose formal care. They have the same concerns as the parents who chose informal care as it pertains to accessibility, affordability and availability.
Availability
The facility I chose to use was perfect for the traditional schedule I have. I drop my child off at 7am and pick her up at 4:30 pm. Parents who work traditional hours from 9 to 5 would probably find this a perfect fit for them. Childcare facilities are open to accommodate their schedules. …show more content…
Most companies have sick, vacation and flex time you can use to offset time missed. I can definitely relate to this. My child was 2 ½ months old when I became her guardian. My baby at the time was twenty –four years old and I had not taken care of an infant in quite some time. Over the course of the years especially during infant and toddler stage, I have missed work a lot due to ear infections, colds and rashes just to name a few. My vacation days and sick time was renamed “Baby Time”. The majority of my time was used to take care of my child when she was sick. My husband was available to help but 90% of the time I was the one who had to miss work to care for her. Now she is 3 ½ and my time is beginning to accumulate as before. My husband became more active in filling in for me as she got older. Her immune system is not so susceptible to every little bug that comes thru the childcare facility. Thank