Teen-ternity Leave - Is this a thing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids benefit more from a having a parent at home for the entirety of childhood. They just do. You cannot make up for this completely with hired help. No one is going to invest and care about your child like a parent would. But that doesn’t work for a lot of families for many reasons, and that is ok too.

I understand you believe this. But for my particular children, this just was not true. We were able to be present enough for our children and to model working for money. I do think this was the best possible thing for my kids. It meant they realized the world does not revolve around them but also that they are loved. And my kids in college now I think very much appreciate their childhoods

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I really don't understand this unless you are going to homeschool.

My kids are gone at 7am, school all day, after school activities and home at 6 or 7 or 8. They have maybe an hour before they are doing homework.

A child having a mental health breakdown is not a teen-ternity that is sick leave or time off for medical reasons.

I have one in high school, one middle school, and one in elementary. The two teens are extremely labor intensive. They have an academic program outside of their home school I have to drive them to in the middle of the day. They finish regular school at 2:15. Their activities and sports aren’t at school. I have to pick them up (separately) and do various drop offs and pick ups between the three of them through the afternoon and evening, every single day. I try to have dinner mostly done before I leave for pickup. I have to bring them something to eat for immediately after school in the car, plus whatever sports gear they need. Then there is the homework; sometimes helping with homework, sometimes just following up to make sure it got done. Then at night they want a second dinner late and like me to stay up with them and chat while they eat and then again while they get ready for bed. It’s a lot.

None of that specifically requires a parent though, vs a nanny. I don’t care that you choose to do it, but it’s no different than the parents saying anyone can care for a baby/toddler.

Not at all. A nanny or random person from care.com has zero interest in your kid or their development and well being. They are not at all invested. They are just driving and collecting cash.

I’m the pp and a long time SAHM. I’m simply pointing out that the argument that teens need you more than toddlers is incorrect and silly. They all need you. Plenty of people hire it out. But there is no “better” time to SAHM. When moms quit with teens (after working when the kids were babies) that just tells me they were too scared to SAH when it was physically demanding and only want to do it now when they can have the whole school day off. It’s like the bird mom coming back at the end of Horton Hatches an Egg.

How mean of you to say that. Many are only able to SAHM later in life when they have more stability. Others, have less energy to juggle later in life. Etc etc

Lazy. They want to quit working using the kids as an excuse now that they think it will be easier.

[Anonymous]

I was always full-time WAH since kids were babies- so I’m always around. Post-Covid husband is WAH too.