BritishGuy36

Whatever. I'm quite happy to pay for all services I make use of. Perhaps you should lobby your MP (or equivalent) and complain that only road users should pay for the upkeep of the highway system - fine by me.

Dan725

What, got no better response as to how you are personally paying for working mothers kids?

Reread your original statement, and consider who the loon might be.

Tracym

I'm voting for you as the loon, today anyway.

Why are you being so nasty, just because he has an opinion you don't agree with?

Sue

Just a little reminder, its all good and fine to have differences of opinions etc but can the name calling be reined in.

Thanks

Sue

Ray

And you stop picking on my mate Dan ...

Dan725

Because its such a baseless argument. I really can't understand it. He says maternity leave is wrong because he doesn't want to pay for other peoples kids.....so what does that mean? Could it be he'd rather pay for them to be on the dole, so they can raise them without having to work? But then surely he'd be paying more that way?

Makes no sense to me, and the way it was originally worded, I found very insulting.

Tracym

Picking on?

What is this, some sorta boys club now

Tracym

I'm honestly confused here - are you saying the alternative is for the mother to quit work and be on welfare - like that was his suggestion?

I would think it was PAID maternity leave he was referring to, not unpaid.

I personally don't have kids, and won't. And I also wonder about paying for schools, etc. that I get no DIRECT benefit from.

The question becomes then - who is responsible for having and raising kids - the individuals or the entire society?

Taxes for roads, at least here - well almost everyone uses the roads. Either by driving or being a passenger. So that doesn't really seem a good comparison to me.

I do think Americans take a more individualistic view - I do look at having and raising children as a choice. I choose to have dogs - and noone helps me pay to raise them.

Now... the argument can be made that these children are the future of the society (sadly my doggies aren't).

But then the balance becomes - how much is the parent responsible for, and how much is society responsible for. I think it's a fair argument.

Another alternative to the paid maternity leave, is to save up the money until you can afford to have kids and take the time off. Which is what many people do.

BritishGuy36

There's no problem Sue - that's what the forum ignore list is for, so you can avoid this kind of nonesense. Congrats to Dan for being the first individual onto mine. I suggest he puts me on his (not that I'd see his posts anyway) as there's no point in us "conversing" further.

BritishGuy36

You're right, of course, Tracy. Some people obviously couldn't work that out.

christmasoompa

No, because I have no problem with paying for it, just as I have no problem with paying for the NHS when I don't use it. I will happily pay for things I don't use as I get benefits in other ways that I'm sure others don't use either (such as maternity pay!).

I think most people would agree they get something back from the taxes they pay, but very few people use all public services that taxes are put into - it's just a case that you won't get any benefit from maternity services, but I'm sure you've used others that I haven't so I believe it all evens out in the end.

tamms_1965

My ex was at the top of the IT food chain for a large city school district (50,000 students) and he did not get the same time off as employees that dealt with kids daily in their jobs. He was NON-union, but his pay was much better pay than those that did and he did have an above-average vacation/sick day/insurance package.

On the other hand our building IT people that take care of the computer labs, grades, teacher PCs, etc. get the same time off that teachers do. These people are usually unionized like the teachers. So, it all depends on the type of IT job you have.

tamms_1965

I think you're company has to give you time off; how much depends on your state. (I think minimum is 6 weeks for maternity, don't know because I didn't work when I had mine). However, your employer does not have to continue to pay you when you are gone. They just have to give your job back to you.

Ohio schools usually give 6 weeks paid off and if you need more per doctor's orders you can use your accumulated sick days. Most schools are unionized and these types of benefits are negotiated. Larger districts usually have strong unions. I've been teaching 10 years and have almost 150 days saved up.

christmasoompa

[QUOTE=Tracym;6384500]I personally don't have kids, and won't. And I also wonder about paying for schools, etc. that I get no DIRECT benefit from. [QUOTE]

You may not now but you will in 30 years time when the children currently at school are your dentist, lawyer, nurse, doctor, surgeon, etc, etc. So I would respectfully disagree and say that in fact you will get direct benefit from their education in the future.

Oh, and in the UK, you can get assistance with raising dogs as well as children - there are schemes for those on low incomes to receive free or subsidised vet treatment etc!!

Dan725

Having Kids is (usually) a choice, absolutely - completely fine with that. Save up money for them so you can take time off.....not always viable. And, we then get into what sort of future you want to provide for your kids, etc. If the mom has (or chooses) to work - what's wrong with that?

But I have still not seen a decent explanation or counter argument as to why, exactly, and I quote "If people want to have kids that's their choice, why should the rest of us pay for it"

He isn't paying for it. The only thing I can think is that he is thinking is that if a work colleague of his is off work on maternity leave, he'll have to pick up some work, thus "paying for it". But, what happens if he, for example breaks a leg or something - that same colleague who was off on maternity leave is then "Paying for his broken leg".

As I said, his argument was, well, not a viable one. And instead of qualifying it, he's put me on "ignore". Maybe I should not have been so abrupt in the first place, true, but the fact remains I have not yet seen as to how, exactly, he pays for working mothers kids.