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Have you had a child recently?

My wife was a finance director and made good coin. Given the cost of daycare and the difficulty of getting late childcare (we both have jobs where the day ends when it ends sometimes, daycare assumes your day ends at 4 everyday), it was a no brainer for her to stop working.

When she returns to the workforce, she’ll be on the bottom as an analyst or some other gig.

For people with less resources, it’s far worse.




Why can't a finance director afford a nanny? Why can't the finance director's spouse quit their low paying job? Either the job pays more than childcare (about $15/hr), or it's not a high paying job to give up.


In more developed countries that would be illegal. You are guaranteed to be able to return to the same position and pay.

Also daycare would be subventionized.


> In more developed countries that would be illegal. You are guaranteed to be able to return to the same position and pay.

Even if you quit entirely, beyond straightforward maternity/paternity leave? I don't think I'd be in favor of that type of regulation. In my opinion, if you make the decision to quit (for whatever reason), you can come back to get whatever job your skills let you get. I also think "developed" isn't the adjective you're looking for, maybe "tightly-regulated".


No, it's still maternity leave, but in some countries up to 3 years as far as I know. After that there are state-provided kindergartens.


> Even if you quit entirely, beyond straightforward maternity/paternity leave?

Of course not. The point is that there shouldn't be any economical or work-related downside (other than slightly less pay during maternity/paternity leave) for having a child.

(Obviously raising a child costs money but I hope you get the idea)

Developed is quite apt for any society that values its members.


I wasn’t clear — this was 5 years ago, and she resigned. Her employer provided 6-8 months of leave, mostly paid.




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