1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha and welcome to Stephane 2 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 1: never told you production of I Heart Radio. So, Samantha, 3 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: did you ever do like a mentor thing where you 4 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:24,639 Speaker 1: shadowed somebody at work when you were a kid, or 5 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: like a take your daughter to work day or anything 6 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: like that. No? Oh, no, okay, I know, simple answers. No, 7 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:36,160 Speaker 1: it's great. I mean, well, I don't know if it's great. 8 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: But was it something you wanted to do? Um, I 9 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: don't know, because I didn't know it existed. It was 10 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: not a thing in my world. I assumed as an 11 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 1: adult that it was only for sitcom purposes and that 12 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: it wasn't real. Yes, okay, that's interesting. I did a 13 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: few and it was, you know, essentially like I went 14 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: with my dad to work. And then I think when 15 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: I was in high school, there was a program we 16 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 1: did where you would choose like one of five professions, 17 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: and looking back to professions were not that wide ranging 18 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,400 Speaker 1: that you choose one, and they were very gendered also 19 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: looking back, but you would like get to talk to 20 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:20,319 Speaker 1: somebody and ask them questions about their jobs. So that 21 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: was cool. I was thinking about this because I actually 22 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: just I was doing research into the history of take 23 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: your Totder to Work Day because I was having a 24 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: conversation with someone and she brought it up as a 25 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: point of contention at her job, and I was just 26 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: kind of curious about it, and then I looked into 27 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:45,040 Speaker 1: the history of it and I want to come back 28 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: and do a Monday mini on it. But um basically, 29 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: it kind of ridgidated in the nineties and it was 30 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: part of like this at the time, you know, feminist 31 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: push of you know, showing young girls they could do 32 00:01:57,360 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: more stuff, and it's changed a lot since then. This 33 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: is very like bare bones of it. I do want 34 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 1: to come back and talk about it, But I've also 35 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: been thinking about this in terms of what the conversations 36 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:11,519 Speaker 1: we've been having about the Great resignation and women working 37 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: from home but having children, you know, around them as 38 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: they're as they're working, and how that conversation is kind 39 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: of shifting, and I'm just curious about how kids are 40 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:25,239 Speaker 1: kind of taking that in. Um So, the episode we're 41 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: bringing back to you is a classic that Kristen and 42 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: Caroline did about kids are kids good in the workplace? 43 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: So I think it's going to feel I don't know, 44 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:38,239 Speaker 1: dated is the right word. Because a lot of the 45 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: issues they talk about are still things that we're talking 46 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: about and still things we're talking about in the Great Resignation. 47 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: It just is so different right now because if we're 48 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 1: in a pandemic and a lot of people are teleworking. 49 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: But I did I I've just kind of been mulling 50 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 1: over these thoughts in my head, and I do want 51 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 1: to return to some of them in the future, but 52 00:02:55,080 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: in the meantime, please enjoy this classic episode there Welcome 53 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: to Stuff Mom Never Told You from how Stuff Works 54 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: dot Com. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Caroline 55 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: and I'm Kristen kristin Take Our Daughters and Sons to 56 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: Work Day, which in and of itself is an excellent 57 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 1: opportunity to bring kids to work, obviously judging by the name, 58 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: but to expose them to life's opportunities and what they 59 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 1: can do when they grow up, to give them dreams 60 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: and everything, show them how small your cubicle is. Yeah, 61 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: but it's just a day. You You can't bring your 62 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 1: kids to work every day, well at some places, which 63 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: we all get into, but just a word on Take 64 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 1: Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day formerly known as 65 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 1: Take Our Daughters to Work Day, which was started in 66 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 1: I thought it had been around. It was started in 67 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: though by Miss Glorious Dynham and the Miss Foundation for Women, 68 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: and then in two thousand and three it was expanded 69 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 1: to daughters and sons. So bring all, bring all those kids, 70 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: and this year there will be an estimated thirty seven 71 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 1: million kids going to three point five million workplaces. Have 72 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,480 Speaker 1: you ever worked anywhere where people actually brought their kids 73 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: to work? No, neither of I not for take your 74 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 1: daughters and sons to work out. I have are The 75 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 1: House of Works office has hosted Halloween trick or treating 76 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: for kids at the office, which is great because I 77 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:38,719 Speaker 1: get candy from it. Um, you mean you take it 78 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 1: from the children. No. I buy so much candy that 79 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: I couldn't possibly give it all away right, therefore have 80 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:48,920 Speaker 1: to eat their leftover exact snicker bars, exact twixes. Yeah, 81 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 1: I have never worked anywhere. I've never been in an 82 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: office where I mean, like, you know, parents bring your 83 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: kids in to show them off and stuff because they're 84 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 1: so cute. But like, never anywhere where they've brought kids 85 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:00,679 Speaker 1: in to show them what they do for a living, 86 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,479 Speaker 1: to inspire them. But I've also never worked anywhere where 87 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 1: there's any sort of babysitting, daycare, you know, anything like that. Yeah, 88 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 1: And we wanted to talk about kids in the workplace 89 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 1: a because of take our daughters and sons to work day, 90 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 1: but also because there has been a lot of discussion 91 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: around this in the past few years. This is becoming 92 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: on site childcare is becoming a more common feature, especially 93 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: among larger businesses, And it was also a point of 94 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:36,479 Speaker 1: debate with Yahoo CEO Marissa myers is decision to cut 95 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 1: off teleworking for all Yahoo employees a couple of months 96 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 1: ago now, and people were like, oh, well, Miss Myers, 97 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: that is a little short sighted for you know, parents 98 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 1: who tell a work who are able to care for 99 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: their younger kids while they work from home. Because you, 100 00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: miss Myers, built a nursery for your baby at your workplace, 101 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: what's up with that? So, while we are not here 102 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: to try to dissect Morrissa Myers is you know, strategy 103 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 1: for cutting off teleworking and the whole baby gate over 104 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: you know her her child who like I can't like. 105 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 1: Has has there been more ink spilled over a child 106 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:25,479 Speaker 1: that was not you know Katon Williams over in Britain, 107 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:29,160 Speaker 1: I don't know one of brand Jelina's. Yes, But the 108 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 1: fact of the matter is childcare when you are a 109 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:39,279 Speaker 1: working parent is a huge cost. Yeah, it is ginormously expensive. 110 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 1: It's like college. Basically. My friend Jessica who um, I 111 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 1: think her son is like one and a half now. 112 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: But anyway, when she was pregnant, she was already worrying 113 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 1: about where to send this baby when she went back 114 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 1: to work because how expensive it would be. Yeah, because 115 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 1: you want to make sure you're putting your child in 116 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 1: the hands of a you know, someone credible and who 117 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 1: will take care of that baby with tender love and 118 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: care and good care costs. Um. And there was a 119 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: two thousand twelve report from Childcare Aware of America, and 120 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 1: in two thousand eleven they reported that the average annual 121 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: cost of full time child care for an infant in 122 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: a center ranged from about forty six hundred dollars in 123 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: Mississippi on the low end, to nearly fifteen thousand dollars 124 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: in Massachusetts. And that's the average annual costs. So you know, 125 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: the price can vastly wildly, I'm sure. Um. And then 126 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: in two thousand eleven, for a four year old kid, 127 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 1: the childcare costs ranged for about dollars in Mississippi to 128 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: eleven thousand, seven hundred in Massachusetts, which is a chunk 129 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: of change. Essentially, you know, you were working to pay 130 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: for your kids to be taken care of, absolutely, and 131 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 1: it's really not that much cheaper to put your kid 132 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: in like a home based childcare center. For an infant, 133 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 1: it's dred to ten thousand, four hundred, and for a 134 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: four year old it ranges from so it's still so 135 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 1: much money. Well, and and the thing is to the 136 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: conversation that isn't talked about a lot is how this 137 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: impacts especially low income parents. I mean, the burden there 138 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: is even bigger because a lot of times these parents 139 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: might not be working in full time jobs that give 140 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: sick days or paid time off. And if your kid 141 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: is sick and you have to call in a number 142 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: of times, you might lose your job just taking care 143 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 1: of them if you're if you don't have any kind 144 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 1: of backup childcare. Um, it's a it's a huge burden 145 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 1: that can send parents and especially single mothers into temporary 146 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 1: poverty if they're if they already aren't, if they aren't 147 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 1: on the poverty line to begin with yeah, so to 148 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 1: put and perspective, In twenty two states and DC, center 149 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:07,439 Speaker 1: based child care fees for an infant exceeded annual median 150 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: rent payments, and in twenty states and DC center based 151 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 1: childcare fees for two children exceeded housing costs. Center based 152 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 1: child care fees for two children exceeded housing costs for 153 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:22,080 Speaker 1: homeowners with a mortgage. For the majority of the country, 154 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 1: the average annual cost of center based infant care exceeded 155 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:28,880 Speaker 1: ten percent of the states that states median income for 156 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 1: a two parent family, and is higher than a year's 157 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 1: in state tuition at a public college. In other words, 158 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: having a child is very, very expensive. You know, this 159 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: is this is a very real challenge for parents and 160 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: especially for working moms. This was something that NPR reported 161 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: on in April two thousand and twelve. Two thirds of 162 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 1: women with young children now work, and nearly half of 163 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 1: them are their families primary breadwinner. Yeah. And in that 164 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: same story, they cite Kristen Rowe think Miner, head of 165 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: the advocacy group Mom's Rising, who says that having a 166 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 1: baby in this blue my freaking mind, having a baby 167 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 1: is the leading cause of temporary poverty many women. She 168 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 1: says without maternity leave, end up, like christ And said, 169 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 1: quitting to care for the baby, and it's hard to 170 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:18,679 Speaker 1: get back into the labor for She calls this the 171 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: quote cascading impact of motherhood because as we know, women 172 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: tend to make less anyway. So if they don't have 173 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:28,959 Speaker 1: that built in maternity leave or any benefits to provide 174 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:30,679 Speaker 1: for them to be able to stay home, they end 175 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 1: up quitting their jobs. They don't have any money to 176 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 1: pay for childcare. It's just it's a whole cycle of awful. Yeah. 177 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 1: And and there's obviously a government assistance out there for childcare, 178 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: but because of you know, recession era budget cuts, a 179 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 1: lot of states have had to slash subsidized childcare programs, 180 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: which impacts a lot of these working mothers very harshly. Right. 181 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: And another aspect to think about is, yes, you have 182 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:15,680 Speaker 1: subsidized care, but um, it doesn't necessarily mandate that you 183 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: have to have a licensed daycare provider. So the government 184 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 1: does provide grants to states through the Childcare and Development 185 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 1: Block Grant, which subsidizes the monthly cost of childcare for 186 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: low income families, but it doesn't require the use of 187 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 1: licensed care. And about one fifth of the children who 188 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: received this assistance, which is about one point seven million, 189 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 1: are in unregulated settings. And in Hawaii, Michigan, and Oregon 190 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 1: more than half of the children receiving assistance are in 191 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 1: unlicensed care. And so that brings up issues of health 192 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: and safety. I mean, granted, yes, I'm sure there are 193 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: plenty of unlicensed places that are healthy, safe, you know, 194 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: good for the babies, but but there are a lot 195 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 1: that aren't. There's no guarantee. Yeah, and then it leads 196 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 1: into the question of are you setting up a cycle 197 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 1: where you know, the kids aren't getting off to a 198 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 1: good start for a solid future, and they're going to 199 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 1: be in the same situation unable to you know, put 200 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: their children in quality daycare. And this is something you know, 201 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: we're about to straight off into a whole another podcast 202 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 1: that we could do on that um. But the question 203 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:23,680 Speaker 1: that a lot of you know, larger workplaces are asking 204 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: is whether or not on site childcare could be you know, 205 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: a real benefit for employees and also improve their bottom 206 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:38,000 Speaker 1: line as well. Yeah. One of the benefits, obviously of 207 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: employer provided or assisted childcare is the idea that you know, 208 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:44,200 Speaker 1: parents have to miss fewer days if the kid is 209 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: on site. You know, then then somebody's watching him and 210 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 1: you can come to work and everything's fine. And one 211 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 1: company that's way ahead of the Carve, way ahead of 212 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: everybody else in providing childcare is Stride Right. Stride Right Shoes, 213 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:01,079 Speaker 1: the shoe people, the shoe people, And I have fond 214 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: memories of Stride Right. On a side note, because I 215 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 1: don't know why my mom really liked Stride Right shoes, 216 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 1: maybe because they were so baby friendly, but those were 217 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 1: the first tennis shoes that I ever had that I 218 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:18,359 Speaker 1: can remember, and I remember the Stride Right box and everything. 219 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: But yeah, it was the first U S corporation with 220 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:23,800 Speaker 1: an on site daycare established in ninety one, and then 221 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:27,559 Speaker 1: in New York Times where a story about how they 222 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: were setting up the first intergenerational daycare center for employees 223 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:34,439 Speaker 1: who were caring for not just kids but also seniors. 224 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 1: That's a you know, a care issue that also doesn't 225 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:39,680 Speaker 1: come up very much. You might be caring for babies, 226 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: but what about the growing elder population as well? But 227 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: it also sounds like maybe the happiest place on earth, 228 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 1: like because they were talking about how at the time 229 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:49,960 Speaker 1: when it got going, there were only a few seniors 230 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:52,800 Speaker 1: in the center, but like kids look go over and 231 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 1: and read with them, like get read too, And I 232 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 1: just think, I'm like, oh my god, I would love 233 00:13:57,800 --> 00:13:59,839 Speaker 1: to work there. I mean, I don't want to get sick. 234 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 1: Is I feel like kids just make me sick all 235 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:03,720 Speaker 1: the time. I'm around a child, and I instantly get sick. 236 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,199 Speaker 1: But it would be keute to watch from like behind 237 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: disinfected glass. But so okay, So Arnold Hyatt who was 238 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 1: the board chairman Force dride Right, this whole thing was 239 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 1: his concept and it's so great and they so they 240 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 1: said why why are you doing this? He cited increased 241 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: productivity and decreased turnover, but he still had some reservations 242 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: because he said, you know, as great as this is, 243 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 1: I don't believe corporate daycare answers the need of intervening 244 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 1: in the lives of twenty million children under five. And 245 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: that's true. This, this childcare issue, uh is not gonna 246 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: be solved just with presto everybody gets a daycare center 247 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,160 Speaker 1: at work. But you know that this is, you know, 248 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:46,240 Speaker 1: an important benefit for employees. And today companies are seeing 249 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 1: real dividends not just on their bottom line, but also 250 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: just from looking real good for providing on site childcare. 251 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: For instance, one third of Fortune's Best Companies to Work 252 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 1: For I believe this was in their two thousand ten 253 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 1: or through two thousand eleven lists offered an on site 254 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 1: childcare center. Public Supermarkets had the lowest monthly rate for 255 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,880 Speaker 1: a three year old at just one thirty dollars a month, 256 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 1: which is a steel that's a bargain. Um. And Cisco 257 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 1: is one of the nation's largest providers of on site childcare, 258 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: with eight hundred kids enrolled, and parents at the Cisco 259 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: headquarters contract their kids via computer, which is it looks 260 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: like doggie daycare. Well, that's also very Cisco, you know, 261 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: these software developers. UM. In two thousand eleven, the number 262 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 1: one Fortune company s A S was allotted for its 263 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 1: high quality childcare at four d ten dollars per month. 264 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 1: And the question then is, you know, we'll just bring 265 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: kids to work. A good thing for employees and businesses. Obviously, 266 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: it looks good, you know for these companies. You and 267 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 1: I are both swooning over stride right, and the idea 268 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 1: of an intergenerational daycare center. That must be very sweet. 269 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: But what is the real outcome of this? Well, I 270 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: mean it's not as bad as we think it'll be. 271 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: I mean, they're you know, jaded, cynical people like me 272 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 1: who are like babies at work, babies at work, shot up, 273 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 1: Shut the baby up. But Mary's secret. And not to 274 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: make myself sound like I'm a monster or anything, uh anyway, 275 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 1: but Mary's secret. Who's a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. 276 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 1: In two thousand five, didn analysis of fifty five baby 277 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 1: friendly businesses and found that people often like Caroline Irvin, 278 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:35,520 Speaker 1: anticipate disaster, but there is rarely a negative effect on 279 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 1: coworkers or productivity. And she found having babies around can 280 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 1: actually boost morale. And she points out, hey, look, there 281 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: was never a separation of work and family, so bringing 282 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 1: babies to work it's good all around. Yeah. I mean 283 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 1: that that morale boost is understandable when you think about 284 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 1: this two thousand seven report from the National Conference of 285 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: State Legislatures which cited childcare as the biggest family related 286 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 1: problem in the workplace because it's a huge source of 287 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:07,159 Speaker 1: absentee is um and tardiness. And Business Week cited a 288 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 1: cost benefit study conducted at the Union Bank in pacaity To, California, 289 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:15,199 Speaker 1: which showed that the institutions on site daycare programs saved 290 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 1: it one hundred thirty eight thousand to two hundred thirty 291 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 1: two thousand in annual operations costs due to the reduction 292 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 1: in both turnover and absenteeism. And that's just in one place. 293 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 1: And then that Business Week article also cited the book 294 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:32,760 Speaker 1: Kids at Work, The Value of Employer sponsored on site 295 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:37,320 Speaker 1: childcare Centers, in which they estimated the savings in wages 296 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: of a hundred fifty thousand to two hundred fifty thousand 297 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:44,879 Speaker 1: for just two companies that provided on site childcare. And 298 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:47,359 Speaker 1: there's definitely an effect as far as new mothers go 299 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 1: to UM. Another Business Week story from October twelve found 300 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 1: that it was a good way to get young mothers 301 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 1: back to work. I mean, maternity leave isn't cheap, and 302 00:17:57,240 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: it's a good way to make sure they don't quit 303 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 1: after having children. Well, I mean it shows that as 304 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:07,000 Speaker 1: an employer, you are taking the whole person into account, 305 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:09,240 Speaker 1: not just their life at their cubicle, but what happens 306 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 1: outside of the cubicle and how home life impacts, uh, 307 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:14,920 Speaker 1: you know, the work that they're doing. UM. And one 308 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:17,679 Speaker 1: thing too, and all of this is the availability of 309 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:21,200 Speaker 1: backup childcare. This isn't just you know, an on site 310 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:23,399 Speaker 1: daycare where you can bring, you know, a kid to work, 311 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:27,120 Speaker 1: but say your child is sick, having backup child care 312 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 1: is also a crucial resource. Bright Horizons, which is a 313 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 1: company that provides backup childcare, sponsor to survey and not surprisingly, 314 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:38,199 Speaker 1: they found that, you know, having backup childcare is a 315 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 1: really great thing. But nevertheless, even though the results might 316 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 1: be a ted biased. Uh, they looked into backup childcare 317 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 1: for eight hundred employees and it resulted in a net 318 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 1: savings of over twenty five hundred work days because you know, 319 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:56,399 Speaker 1: you don't have to you don't want to take that 320 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,160 Speaker 1: time off. Yeah, but it's not totally cut and dry 321 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:02,520 Speaker 1: to everybody. Courtney Lee Adams over at Business Week said 322 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:05,160 Speaker 1: that the whole taking your kids to work thing having 323 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,440 Speaker 1: on site daycare is unrealistic, and she says it only 324 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 1: benefits a small amount of women. She points out the 325 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:14,199 Speaker 1: professional managerial women make up only eight percent of the 326 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 1: female workforce, whereas of women hold low wage blue collar jobs. 327 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:22,880 Speaker 1: So great Cisco wants to have on site daycare, How 328 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,359 Speaker 1: does that benefit the woman who works as a cashier 329 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 1: at the grocery store. Right, yeah, I mean, and and 330 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 1: that and that is the problem. Like that I felt 331 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 1: like when, for instance, the whole debate about Marissa Meyer 332 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:38,359 Speaker 1: at Yahoo cutting off teleworking and impacting those working parents, 333 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:40,880 Speaker 1: and then her having the you know, the the nursery 334 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 1: built in her CEO suite totally missed the point of what, 335 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 1: you know, the work that really needs to be done 336 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:50,399 Speaker 1: from almost the bottom up of looking at these lower 337 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 1: income working moms who are the primary breadwinners, who are 338 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:58,680 Speaker 1: being sent into temporary poverty or long term poverty because 339 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 1: of you know, a pack of access to quality, affordable childcare. 340 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 1: But I digress, And you know, she says there are 341 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:10,720 Speaker 1: bigger issues like families needing flexible work schedules and just 342 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 1: playing gender equality, right, I mean that some would argue 343 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:18,879 Speaker 1: that it doesn't just having on site daycare is not 344 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:21,920 Speaker 1: getting at the heart of the matter, that the childcare 345 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 1: burden does still fall largely on women, although a recent 346 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:30,880 Speaker 1: survey out of the Pew Research Center has found that 347 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:34,399 Speaker 1: that gap is narrowing, but still men's work in a 348 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 1: way is valued more highly than women's work because we 349 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:40,320 Speaker 1: simply expect for you know, women to to take care 350 00:20:40,359 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: of the kids. Yeah, and speaking of taking care of 351 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:45,320 Speaker 1: the kids, what about staying at home. You know, we 352 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: talked about teleworking at Yahoo, but there was a column 353 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:52,120 Speaker 1: over it she knows dot com that talked about, well, 354 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 1: you might not actually be getting as much work done 355 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 1: from home as you think you are as you think 356 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 1: you will. Um, you might be shooting to stay home 357 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:03,640 Speaker 1: and spend time with your family but also get work done. 358 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:05,679 Speaker 1: But that could lead to like, actually, I have to 359 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:07,120 Speaker 1: take care of the kids all day and then stay 360 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:09,159 Speaker 1: up until two am working. Oh yeah, I mean if 361 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 1: you're working from home and trying to take care of 362 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 1: a baby. At the same time, you're taking care of 363 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: a baby and maybe getting some work done on the side. Yeah. 364 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: So the writer actually encouraged moms who find themselves in 365 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:21,680 Speaker 1: that situation to consider like, Okay, well what do you make, 366 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:24,639 Speaker 1: what do you do, and what's the situation with your kids, 367 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 1: and is it worth it to bring in an outside 368 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,120 Speaker 1: person to just be there to supervise while you work. Yeah, 369 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:31,199 Speaker 1: because a lot of times, like you, you know, you 370 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:34,720 Speaker 1: need to be able to pay undivided attention to your 371 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:36,959 Speaker 1: work to get it done. Yeah. Imagine if we had 372 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:39,760 Speaker 1: a baby In the podcast, studio. That would be kind 373 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 1: of fun. Okay, it'd be a weird podcast. Can we 374 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:48,960 Speaker 1: just have a puppy? Okay, we're kidding. So the takeaway, 375 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 1: it seems like from this whole question of childcare at 376 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 1: the workplace is that, you know, parenting at work is 377 00:21:55,640 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 1: becoming more common among larger businesses, even down to more 378 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 1: mom and pop operations where it's totally fine for someone 379 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: to bring baby with him or her to work, and 380 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 1: telework and flexible options are something that is very desirable 381 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 1: for working moms in particular who might need a little 382 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:18,200 Speaker 1: more flexibility with their schedules. So it's good that that 383 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 1: kind of stuff is being opened up as well. But 384 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 1: there is still the you know, these problems of what 385 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:27,360 Speaker 1: about for the majority of working moms who might not 386 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:34,400 Speaker 1: be working at jobs that would provide such lavish benefits, right, 387 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:36,880 Speaker 1: And there are you know a lot of moms out 388 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 1: there who are in danger if they fall into this 389 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 1: temporary poverty of getting caught in a welfare and subsidies 390 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:46,919 Speaker 1: cycle and not being able to get out of it 391 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:49,280 Speaker 1: because you know, they lose their jobs, they can't pay 392 00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 1: for childcare. You know, they's it's just a cycle of 393 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 1: not being able to get back into the workforce right 394 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 1: and considering the fact that the government safety net in 395 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:00,919 Speaker 1: a way is not as aunt as it used to 396 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:05,439 Speaker 1: be because of recessionaire budget cuts, the situation has gotten 397 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: even bleaker in terms of that. So, I mean, for 398 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:11,160 Speaker 1: for this episode, I really do want to hear from 399 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 1: working parents out there who you know are dealing with 400 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: childcare issues. I mean, you and I obviously don't have kids, 401 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:21,639 Speaker 1: and when you start to look at the costs of childcare, 402 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:24,639 Speaker 1: you know, I don't know if it puts it puts 403 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 1: not having a child so much more into perspective, because 404 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 1: you know, there it is such a huge cost in something. 405 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:33,680 Speaker 1: You know. I worked at a daycare center when I 406 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:37,920 Speaker 1: was in late high school and early college, and um, yeah, 407 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:39,399 Speaker 1: I mean it was it was so hard to watch 408 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 1: the parents for the first time taking their their kids 409 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 1: there and then putting their their babies into my arms 410 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:48,360 Speaker 1: to take care of it, like this young whipper snapper 411 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:51,439 Speaker 1: taking my child away. I promised I did the best 412 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 1: I could. Um, but yeah, I mean, it's it's expensive, 413 00:23:55,200 --> 00:24:00,119 Speaker 1: it's time consuming, it is not easy. Um. So I 414 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:02,040 Speaker 1: want to hear from parents to whether or not on 415 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:04,960 Speaker 1: site childcare really is, you know, a great thing that 416 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,480 Speaker 1: they could take advantage of. And I should say that 417 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 1: how stuff works as parent corporation, Discovery Communications does provide 418 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:16,120 Speaker 1: on site childcare at their headquarters. So now that we've 419 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:20,480 Speaker 1: given you all this information on childcare, send us your thoughts, 420 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 1: mom Stuff at Discovery dot com. You know we want 421 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:27,159 Speaker 1: to hear from you. What are your opinions? What what 422 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:29,439 Speaker 1: have you dealt with? We want to we want to 423 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 1: read your mail. Well, I've got an email here from 424 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:49,800 Speaker 1: Toby about our episode on women in the military fighting 425 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:53,920 Speaker 1: in combat positions, and Toby writes, I think the arguments 426 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 1: used by proponents of women in combat is actually doing 427 00:24:56,520 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 1: a disservice to future women's soldiers. Unlike other military positions 428 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:03,919 Speaker 1: where women simply adapt and learn to work within the 429 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 1: confines of an all male environment, this is one situation 430 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:09,360 Speaker 1: where the military needs to make concrete steps to formulate 431 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 1: viable solutions for the successful incorporation of women into the 432 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 1: new role. To simply place one's faith on the professionalism 433 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:19,000 Speaker 1: of soldiers, and to make off handed assumptions that the 434 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,920 Speaker 1: insertion of female soldiers in combat units would not create 435 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:25,399 Speaker 1: any tension, sexual or otherwise demonstrates a complete lack of 436 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:29,119 Speaker 1: understanding of the realities of war. Unit cohesion and combat 437 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 1: readiness would undoubtedly be affected for better or worse, and 438 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 1: refusal to recognize this fact is naivety at the highest levels, 439 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 1: to say the least. Therefore, changes will have to be 440 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 1: made to accommodate women and to ensure that women can 441 00:25:41,119 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: serve their country in a dignified environment so that they 442 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:47,879 Speaker 1: may demonstrate their talent to the full potential. Uh, to 443 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 1: which I say, since women have already essentially been fighting 444 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 1: in combat positions because the rules of warfare have changed 445 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:58,680 Speaker 1: so much in that the front line has largely disappeared, 446 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:03,359 Speaker 1: I think women have I've been acclimating themselves to those 447 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 1: new environments. But yeah, sure, the army you know, should 448 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: take every step to uh prepare their soldiers and us 449 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:13,880 Speaker 1: you know have have them protected as much as possible 450 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:18,399 Speaker 1: because you don't want to lose more lives because of 451 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:20,639 Speaker 1: women being in combat. And I don't think that's going 452 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:24,359 Speaker 1: to happen, So thanks for your perspective on that. Toby 453 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 1: so Jack shared a picture with us UH. He said 454 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 1: that this is a statue at the Memorial Park in Huntsville, Alabama, 455 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 1: and it shows a man and a woman, UH bringing 456 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:40,720 Speaker 1: their wounded brother in arms off of the battlefield. He 457 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:42,680 Speaker 1: just said that it was a great Uh. It was 458 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:45,160 Speaker 1: great that women are getting visibility for being in harm's way. 459 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:47,639 Speaker 1: But he goes on to say that I agree with 460 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: lifting the band on women in combat. I recognize that 461 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:52,680 Speaker 1: the arguments for the band fall into three categories that 462 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 1: you mentioned, and all of them are baseless. I've heard 463 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:57,879 Speaker 1: all three arguments, and the disruption to unit cohesion is 464 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 1: the most common. The U. S Military is a professional 465 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 1: armed force. As professionals, the men and women serving in 466 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,160 Speaker 1: the forest can control their actions and are not distracted 467 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:09,240 Speaker 1: from duty by soldiers of the opposite sex. He goes 468 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 1: on to say I served in the Air Force from 469 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:14,240 Speaker 1: two thousand three. During that time I earned the Combat 470 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: Readiness Medal. It is awarded for twenty four months of 471 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:19,399 Speaker 1: service in a combat force. The duty title was Missile 472 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 1: Combat crew Member. This is the job of being ready 473 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:24,640 Speaker 1: to launch nuclear i c b M should we enter 474 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:27,679 Speaker 1: into a nuclear conflict. I served alongside women in this 475 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:30,080 Speaker 1: role and they too earned the Combat Readiness Medal for 476 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 1: this duty. The job involved having two crew members spend 477 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:35,679 Speaker 1: twenty four hours in a secure bunker underground, ready to 478 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:38,639 Speaker 1: turn keys that would launch our I CBM force in 479 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 1: a twenty four hour alert. One crew member had to 480 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 1: remain awake, so we split the time into sleep shifts. 481 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:47,120 Speaker 1: Crews were made up of mixed genders. There were no problems. 482 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:51,960 Speaker 1: Everyone in the wing were professionals and acted professionally. So 483 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:54,240 Speaker 1: thank you for sharing your story, Jack, and also thank 484 00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 1: you for the picture of the statue in Huntsville, Alabama. 485 00:27:57,560 --> 00:27:59,639 Speaker 1: And thanks to everyone who has written in Two Moms 486 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:03,119 Speaker 1: Stuff at Discovery dot com again send us your thoughts 487 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:07,399 Speaker 1: on parenting and childcare in the workplace. You can do 488 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 1: it there, or you can head over to our Facebook page, 489 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 1: Like us while you're at it, and follow us on 490 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 1: Twitter at Mom's Stuff podcast, and you can also find 491 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 1: us on tumbler as stuff Mom Never Told You dot 492 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:21,240 Speaker 1: tumblr dot com. And if you'd like to get smarter 493 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:24,280 Speaker 1: this week, you should head to our website It's sow 494 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:32,240 Speaker 1: stuff works dot com for more on this and thousands 495 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 1: of other topics because it how stuff Works dot com.