Daycare and Raising Catholic Children

[dochawk]

I agree. I’ve never been able to use the childcare credit before because we’ve always had nannies working under the counter. It’s irritating, but basically the childcare providers income tax subsidizes the tax break to the parents.

Moral and legal issues on the under the table payment aside, that housewife would probably have to charge at least a time and a half as much if you were paying the taxes on it in order to get the amount she gets now.

I wish they would just give a couple or three grand to every parent of a child under kindy age, but I don’t see that happening.

It already does. It’s called the “child tax $” And “the additional child tax credit”– Although it is only $1000 per child. As of this year, it increases to $2000, dollars 1400 of which is refundable. (Note that this works by refunding Social Security taxes paid yet, but still giving credit towards Social Security benefits, which creates a separate canna worms elsewhere…)

hawk

 

[TC3033]

Studies? No

But I am A bankruptcy attorney, and see a great many budgets.

And the math really isn’t all that hard when you have the tax tables in front of you. Studies with him to determine whether An individual couple would be better off or not; each need to do the math.

Start with The standard Deduction (and for 2017 and earlier, the exemptions). This shields approximately the first $20,000 in income for a family of four from any income taxation.

Then look at the child tax credit – even before the recent changes, this meant that a family of six was paying no taxes at about $50,000 a year.

During in this range, and I believeSome white after it, There is the refundable portion of the child tax credit and the early income credit, both of which drop as income increases.

There is there a chunk of 10 or 12% income tax, a long stretch of 15%, and then 25%.

If the first person’s income brings the family into the 15% bracket, even though there is not much tax on most of that income, All Of the second person’s income is subjected to this rate, Or possibly pushing into 25%.

NowAdd 8% For Social Security, approximately 10% for Obama care subsidy fade out, and you were looking at 33% to almost 50% before considering state taxes. Note that the air and income credit faces out at 33% on the dollar after it peaks—So it is quite possible for persons of Moderat means to see only 1/3 of the second paycheck.

Now add the costs of working, and daycare, and figure out where the breakeven even is for one child – $15 an hour? More? And add a second or third child…

hawk

That still doesn’t tell me what constitutes as “many” is it 1/5…1/4…1/3…1/2…? It tells me how you do your math to figure it out.

 

[dochawk]

I couldn’t tell you what the percentage is, which is why I use the qualitative rather than quantitative statement.

It is certainly, enough for me to see it again, and again, and again without even looking for it.

Also, my “data“ is definitely skewed to the poor segments, getting why folks are across my desk in the first place…

hawk

 

[Allegra]

I meant in addition to the amount given for all children, money that specifically meant to offset the cost of early-childhood education, either paying someone else to do it or the cost of staying home to do it yourself.

 

[LittleWay16]

Coming back to this thread after putting my baby in daycare this week… it went great. He clearly missed me and was overjoyed to see me, but he didn’t cry or scream at daycare from missing me. He played, ate like a champ and even napped well. They made me a craft onesie with his handprint for Independence Day. I never was good at that kind of thing so it was nice to have a keepsake!

I’d love to stay at home, but I can’t. If you have to work, choose a good daycare and don’t beat yourself up about it. Nobody loves your child like you, but they can still care.

 

[Viki63]

I’d love to stay at home, but I can’t. If you have to work, choose a good daycare and don’t beat yourself up about it. Nobody loves your child like you, but they can still care.

Excellent advice.
I stayed at home with my first two until they started school, and loved it. I was a single parent. When I started nursing school and later worked, I raised my kids with after-school programs, and then adopted two more when the first two were teens. (My second husband is disabled, so I was the breadwinner.) I deeply regretted having to work while I raised the two youngest, but it was better for them than the foster care system (because they kept moving them).
If I had it to do over, I would be sure to find a job that let me be home at dinner time with my kids. I worked until 8 or 9 PM during their teen years, and it didn’t turn out well.
If you can stay home with your child, do so as long as possible. When you have to work, find someone you can trust.

 

[Agent94]

Yes, it was odd. I had actually asked our priest about the FOCCUS form we filled out. He said that he put off looking at it and that by the time he went to view it, it had expired. I didn’t know that this was possible. He told us that he doesn’t really go by it anyway. He goes by what he sees in an engaged couple. I was really curious about our results. It was disappointing.

 

[DisorientingSneeze]

I just found our old FOCCUS forms while decluttering a closet and think it might be fun to have a look at them together on one of our next anniversaries. I bet some of our answers have changed!

Anniversaries can be a good opportunity to discuss or plan what you can do for your marriage this year. Maybe you can get the FOCCUS inventory and retake it together or just discuss the questions now that you are both in the thick of family life.

 

[Agent94]

I had just watched a great documentary called the Milky Way. One of the things that was talked about was the fact that there are only 4 countries in the world that have no mandated paid maternity leave. The USA is one of them. Sweden has paid maternity leave for up to 18 months! By that time, the child is considered a toddler, no longer an infant. I don’t feel it’s right to put infants in childcare. Sweden is also one of the happiest countries.

Another interesting thing about our country, the USA, is that we have the lowest rates of breastfeeding because of mothers having to return to work so soon after birth. We also have the highest prison population, the highest rates of obesity, and we are considered to be the most mentally ill counrty. There may not be a direct causal link between putting a 3 or 4 month old infant in childcare and mental illness, but maybe there is. Anyhow, it makes a person wonder. Is it really healthy for an infant to be separated from its mother at such a young age when they are so vulnerable? The USA is so behind in times when it comes to the health and happiness of mother and child.

 

[Allegra]

I agree that it is backward that we don’t have paid maternity leave in our country, although I think 18 months might be a little excessive. I would actually be happy with six months. Actually, stricter enforcement of the laws we already have regarding unpaid leave would be a step in the right direction! Too many women are forced under threat of a loss of their job to go back to work before they’ve even stopped bleeding from giving birth! We don’t even separate pups from their mother at two weeks, so why human babies? And I hate to think how many women are driven to abortion because of the real threat of losing their job because of prenatal appointments and taking off for to recover from delivery.

 

[Agent94]

Another thing I have come to realize as a mother, is that the USA is sadly the most greedy, money hungry country. Why can’t we at least have a year of unpaid maternity leave without worrying about losing our job when the year is over? If we couldn’t have paid leave, at least it could be mandated that mothers have a year of unpaid leave knowing that their job will be waiting for them.

 

[TC3033]

is that we have the lowest rates of breastfeeding because of mothers having to return to work so soon after birth.

Really - Can you link? All 3 of our children drank only breast milk.

We also have the highest prison population, the highest rates of obesity, and we are considered to be the most mentally ill counrty. There may not be a direct causal link between putting a 3 or 4 month old infant in childcare and mental illness, but maybe there is.

Wow…you’re now really jumping to wild and unsubstantiated conclusions. Honestly, where are you getting your information about daycare? It’s just so off base…it’s almost like you’re after confirmation to stay home.

 

[Clementine14]

Wow…you’re now really jumping to wild and unsubstantiated conclusions. Honestly, where are you getting your information about daycare? It’s just so off base…it’s almost like you’re after confirmation to stay home.

Seriously. Now apparently people who put their kids in daycare are raising kids who turn into obese, mentally ill criminals…

 

[LittleWay16]

Right? I went to daycare. I must be the anomaly… thin nurse with a happy marriage, healthy baby and strong faith. How did I ever escape the evils of child care unscathed?

 

[Allegra]

I highly doubt that there’s any link that demonstrates that the US has the lowest rate of breastfeeding, however, it IS harder to produce enough breast milk when you have to go back to work and use the pump through part of the day. My supply reduced significantly when I went back to work and I eventually had to supplement with formula. I don’t necessarily think that’s the worst thing in the world or that in and of itself is a reason for paid maternity leave. But having to pump several feedings has been shown to slow down production. Does that mean that every woman will have to supplement? Of course not, but it is a contributing factor.

 

[LittleWay16]

This. Six months unpaid would be reasonable, as the AAP recommends waiting until six months to introduce solids. When the diet is exclusively breast milk, it is better for supply to have baby at the breast.

 

[TC3033]

I highly doubt that there’s any link that demonstrates that the US has the lowest rate of breastfeeding

That’s kind of what I’m after, or at least that one that proves it’s because women are in the workforce. Op is throwing a ton of, from what I can tell, unsubstantiated claims around.

Does that mean that every woman will have to supplement? Of course not, but it is a contributing factor.

Agreed, everyone is different… Our youngest is nearly 2 and I’m still finding unused breastmilk.

 

[TC3033]

to the detriment of the kids.

Can you elaborate, considering we put 3 fantastic boys through daycare (one currently still enrolled).

Daycare is horrible for many kids.

I’ll give you some, but I’m hard pressed to believe it’s many…of course that depends on what you mean by many. I may say that daycare is horrible for 5% of kids. To me that’s some or a few, to you that may be many.

 

[Vonsalza]

Another thing I have come to realize as a mother, is that the USA is sadly the most greedy, money hungry country. Why can’t we at least have a year of unpaid maternity leave without worrying about losing our job when the year is over? If we couldn’t have paid leave, at least it could be mandated that mothers have a year of unpaid leave knowing that their job will be waiting for them.

Yeah, there are a few countries that do that. They spend less on missiles and more on mothers. What vile socialists, right?

I understand the concern as I went through it 3 times. And ours really loved their daycare and had a great time where they were instructed, watched and developed healthy social skills. Ended up being a blessing.

So do your homework and find one of these. Hint - the good ones are usually hard to get into because they stay full.

Research and pick your top selections. Then call and schedule a meeting and grill them almost to the point they don’t like you, lol. Ask them about emergencies, bullying, anything on your mind. And swing by once or twice at the average pick-up time (around 5:30 where I live) and ask a few of the moms and dads what they think about it.

When you make your selections, do anything you can to get in since you’re a hair late as your child is already here and 3 mos. and presumably needing care soon (we had our spots guaranteed before they were even born ). So if you’re friends with someone who’s friends with the people that run it, have them make calls. Do what you gotta do.

It’s not all horror stories. Some of them are good places with good people. Ours was.

 

[twf]

Wow that’s cheap!!!. Twice that would be reasonable here.