1 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff Mom Never told You from how Stuff 2 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: Works dot Com. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. I'm 3 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:18,959 Speaker 1: Caroline and I'm Kristen Kristin Take Our Daughters and Sons 4 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:21,919 Speaker 1: to Work Day, which in and of itself is an 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: excellent opportunity to bring kids to work, obviously judging by 6 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: the name, but to expose them to life's opportunities and 7 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: what they can do when they grow up, to give 8 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: them dreams and everything, show them how small your cubicle is. Yeah, 9 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 1: but it's just a day. It's just you. You can't 10 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: bring your kids to work every day, well at some places, 11 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 1: which we all get into. But just a word on 12 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, formerly known 13 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: as Take Our Daughters to Work Day, which was started 14 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: in I thought it had been around, was started though 15 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: by MS Glorious Dynham and the MS Foundation for Women, 16 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 1: and then in two thousand and three it was expanded 17 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 1: to daughters and sons. So bring all, bring all those kids, 18 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: and this year there will be an estimated thirty seven 19 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 1: million kids going to three point five million workplaces. Have 20 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 1: you ever worked anywhere where people actually brought their kids 21 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: to work? No, neither, I not for take your daughters 22 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:31,680 Speaker 1: and sons to work out. I have are the House 23 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: of Works office has hosted Halloween trick or treating for 24 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: kids at the office, which is great because I get 25 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: candy from it. Um, But you mean you take it 26 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 1: from the children. No. I buy so much candy that 27 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 1: I couldn't possibly give it all away right, therefore have 28 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: to eat their leftover exact snicker bars, exact twixes. Yeah. 29 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: I have never worked anywhere. I've never been in an 30 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: office where I mean, like, you know, parents bring your 31 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: kids in to show them off and stuff because they're 32 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: so cute. But like, never anywhere where they've brought kids 33 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: in to show them what they do for a living, 34 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 1: to inspire them. But I've also never worked anywhere where 35 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: there's any sort of babysitting, daycare, you know, anything like that. Yeah, 36 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:14,239 Speaker 1: And we wanted to talk about kids in the workplace 37 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:16,519 Speaker 1: a because of take our daughters and suns to work day, 38 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,799 Speaker 1: but also because there has been a lot of discussion 39 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,920 Speaker 1: around this in the past few years. This is becoming 40 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: on site childcare is becoming a more common feature, especially 41 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 1: among larger businesses, and it was also a point of 42 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: debate with Yahoo CEO Marissa Myers is decision to cut 43 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: off tell working for all Yahoo employees a couple of 44 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: months ago now, and people were like, oh, well, Miss Myers, 45 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: that is a little short sighted for you know, parents 46 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 1: who tell a work who are able to care for 47 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 1: their younger kids while they work from home. Because you, 48 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:02,519 Speaker 1: miss Myers, built a nurse hurry for your new baby 49 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: at your workplace. What's up with that? So, while we 50 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 1: are not here to try to dissect Merissa Myers is 51 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: you know, strategy for cutting off teleworking and the whole 52 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: baby gate over? You know her her child, who like 53 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: I can't like. Has has there been more ink spilled 54 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:26,359 Speaker 1: over a child that was not you know, Kayton Williams 55 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:29,640 Speaker 1: over in Britain. I don't know one of brand Jelina's. Yes, 56 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 1: But the fact of the matter is childcare when you 57 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: are a working parent is a huge cost. Yeah, it 58 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: is ginormously expensive. It's like college. Basically, my friend Jessica 59 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: who um, I think her son is like one and 60 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: a half now. But anyway, when she was pregnant, she 61 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 1: was already worrying about where to send this baby when 62 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: she went back to work, because you know how expensive 63 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: it would be yeah, because you want to make sure 64 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: you're putting your child in the hands of a you know, 65 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: someone credible and who will take care of that baby 66 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: with tender love and care and good care costs. Um. 67 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: And there was a two thousand twelve report from Childcare 68 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: Aware of America, and in two thousand eleven they reported 69 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: that the average annual cost of full time child care 70 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 1: for an infant in a center ranged from about forty 71 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 1: six hundred dollars in Mississippi on the low end, to 72 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 1: nearly fifteen thousand dollars in Massachusetts. And that's the average 73 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 1: annual costs, so you know the price can vast like wildly, 74 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: I'm sure. Um. And then in two thousand eleven, for 75 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:43,040 Speaker 1: a four year old kid, the childcare costs ranged for 76 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 1: about dollars in Mississippi to eleven thousand, seven hundred in Massachusetts, 77 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: which is a chunk of change. Essentially, you know, you 78 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 1: were working to pay for your kids taken care of. Absolutely, 79 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: and it's really not that much cheaper to put your 80 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:05,159 Speaker 1: kid in like a home based childcare center. For an infant, 81 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:09,359 Speaker 1: it's dred to ten thousand, four hundred, and for a 82 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 1: four year old it ranges from und so it's still 83 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 1: so much money. Well, and and the thing is to 84 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:22,679 Speaker 1: the conversation that isn't talked about a lot is how 85 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:28,280 Speaker 1: this impacts especially low income parents. I mean, the burden 86 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 1: there is even bigger because a lot of times these 87 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: parents might not be working in full time jobs that 88 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: give sick days or paid time off. And if your 89 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: kid is sick and you have to call in a 90 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: number of times, you might lose your job just taking 91 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 1: care of them if you're if you don't have any 92 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: kind of backup childcare. Um, it's a it's a huge 93 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:54,560 Speaker 1: burden that can send parents and especially single mothers into 94 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: temporary poverty if they're if they already aren't, if they 95 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: aren't on the poverty line to again with yeah, so 96 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 1: to put it in perspective, in twenty two states and 97 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 1: d C, center based child care fees for an infant 98 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 1: exceeded annual median rent payments, and in twenty states and DC, 99 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,600 Speaker 1: center based childcare fees for two children exceeded housing costs. 100 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:20,160 Speaker 1: Center based childcare fees for two children exceeded housing costs 101 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:23,840 Speaker 1: for homeowners with a mortgage. For the majority of the country, 102 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: the average annual cost of center based infant care exceeded 103 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,599 Speaker 1: ten percent of the states that states median income for 104 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,360 Speaker 1: a two parent family, and it's higher than a year's 105 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: in state tuition at a public college. In other words, 106 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 1: happy a child is very, very expensive. You know, this 107 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: is this is a very real challenge for parents and 108 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: especially for working moms. This was something that NPR reported 109 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 1: on in April two thousand and twelve. Two thirds of 110 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 1: women with young children now work, and nearly half of 111 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 1: them are their families primary breadwinner. Yeah, And in that 112 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,839 Speaker 1: same story, they cite Kristen Rowe fink Biner, head of 113 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: the advocacy group Mom's Rising, who says that having a 114 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 1: baby in this blue my freaking mind, having a baby 115 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: is the leading cause of temporary poverty. Many women, she says, 116 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 1: without maternity leave, end up, like christ and said, quitting 117 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 1: to care for the baby, and it's hard to get 118 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 1: back into the labor for She calls this the quote 119 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: cascading impact of motherhood because as we know, women tend 120 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: to make less anyway, So if they don't have that 121 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: built in maternity leave or any benefits to provide for 122 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: them to be able to stay home, they end up 123 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: quitting their jobs. They don't have any money to pay 124 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: for childcare. It's just it's a whole cycle of awful. Yeah. 125 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 1: And and there's obviously a government assistance out there for childcare, 126 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: but because of you know, recession era budget cuts, a 127 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: lot of states have had to slash subsidized childcare programs, 128 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 1: which impacts a lot of these working mothers very harshly. Right, 129 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: And another aspect to think about is, yes, you have 130 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: subsidized care, but um, it doesn't necessarily mandate that you 131 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: have to have a licensed daycare provider. So the government 132 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 1: does provide grants to states through the Childcare and Development 133 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 1: Block Grant, which subsidizes the monthly cost of childcare for 134 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 1: low income families, but it doesn't require the use of 135 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 1: licensed care. And about one five of the children who 136 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 1: received this assistance, which is about one point seven million, 137 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: are in unregulated settings. And in Hawaii, Michigan, and Oregon 138 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: more than half of the children receiving assistance are in 139 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 1: unlicensed care. And so that brings up issues of health 140 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: and safety. I mean, granted, yes, I'm sure there are 141 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: plenty of unlicensed places that are healthy, safe, you know, 142 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,199 Speaker 1: good for the babies, But but there are a lot 143 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 1: that aren't. There's no guarantee. Yeah, and then it leads 144 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 1: into the question of are you setting up a cycle 145 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 1: where you know the kids aren't getting off to a 146 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 1: good start for a solid future, and they're going to 147 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 1: be in the same situation unable to you know, put 148 00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:01,840 Speaker 1: their children in quality daycare. And this is something you know, 149 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 1: we're about to straight off into a whole another podcast 150 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 1: that we could do on that um. But the question 151 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 1: that a lot of you know, larger workplaces are asking 152 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: is whether or not on site childcare could be you know, 153 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:22,439 Speaker 1: a real benefit for employees and also improve their bottom 154 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 1: line as well. Yeah. One of the benefits obviously of 155 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 1: employer provided or assistant childcare is the idea that you know, 156 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 1: parents have to miss fewer days if the kid is 157 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: on site. You know, then then somebody's watching him and 158 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: you can come to work and everything's fine. And one 159 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 1: company that's way ahead of the curve, way ahead of 160 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: everybody else in providing childcare is Stride Right. Stride Right Shoes, 161 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: the shoe people, the shoe people, and I have fond 162 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: memories of Stride Right. On a side note, because I 163 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: don't know why my mom really liked Stride Right shoes, 164 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: maybe because they were so baby friendly. But those were 165 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 1: the ten issues that I ever had that I can remember, 166 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 1: and I remember the stride right box and everything. But yeah, 167 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 1: it was the first U S corporation with an on 168 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: site daycare established in ninety one, and then in New 169 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:16,680 Speaker 1: York Times where a story about how they were setting 170 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: up the first intergenerational daycare center for employees who were 171 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:23,319 Speaker 1: caring for not just kids but also seniors. That's a 172 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 1: you know, a care issue that also doesn't come up 173 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 1: very much. You might be caring for babies, but what 174 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: about the growing elder population as well? But it also 175 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:34,400 Speaker 1: sounds like maybe the happiest place on earth, like because 176 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 1: they were talking about how at the time when it 177 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 1: got going, there were only a few seniors in the center, 178 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:42,440 Speaker 1: but like kids would go over and and read with them, 179 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 1: like get read too, And I just think, I'm like, 180 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 1: oh my god, I would love to work there. I mean, 181 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:49,079 Speaker 1: I don't want to get sick, because I feel like 182 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:50,959 Speaker 1: kids just make me sick all the time. I'm around 183 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 1: a child, and I instantly get sick. But it would 184 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 1: be cute to watch from like behind disinfected glass. But 185 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:59,440 Speaker 1: so okay, so Arnold Hyatt, who was the board chairman, 186 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: forced I'd write this whole thing was his concept, and 187 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 1: it's so great, and they said, they said, why why 188 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 1: are you doing this? He cited increased productivity and decreased turnover, 189 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: but he still had some reservations because he said, you know, 190 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 1: as great as this is, I don't believe corporate daycare 191 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 1: answers the need of intervening in the lives of twenty 192 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: million children under five. And that's true. This, this childcare issue, 193 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 1: uh is not gonna be solved just with presto everybody 194 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: gets a daycare center at work. But you know that 195 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:33,400 Speaker 1: this is, you know, an important benefit for employees. And 196 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:37,840 Speaker 1: today companies are seeing real dividends, not just on their 197 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 1: bottom line, but also just from looking real good for 198 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 1: providing on site childcare. For instance, one third of Fortune's 199 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:50,080 Speaker 1: Best Companies to Work For I believe this was in 200 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 1: their two thousand ten or through two thousand eleven lists 201 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:58,080 Speaker 1: offered an on site childcare center. Public Supermarkets had the 202 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 1: lowest monthly rate for a three year old at just 203 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 1: one dollars a month, which is a steel that's a 204 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 1: bargain um And Cisco is one of the nation's largest 205 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 1: providers of on site childcare with eight hundred kids enrolled, 206 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: and parents at the Cisco headquarters contract their kids via computer, 207 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 1: which is looks like doggy daycare. Well that's also very Cisco, 208 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: you know, these software developers, um and in two thousand eleven, 209 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 1: the number one Fortune company s A S was allotted 210 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: for its high quality childcare at four ten dollars per month. 211 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 1: And the question then is, you know, well, is bring 212 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:40,320 Speaker 1: kids to work a good thing for employees and businesses? 213 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: Obviously it looks good, you know, for these companies. You 214 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: and I are both swooning over stride right and the 215 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:49,960 Speaker 1: idea of an intergenerational daycare center. That must be very sweet. 216 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 1: But what is the real outcome of this? Well, I 217 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 1: mean it's not as bad as we think it'll be. 218 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: I mean they're you know, jaded, cynical people like me 219 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 1: who are like babies at work. Babies at work, shot up, 220 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: Shot the baby up. But Mary's secret. And not to 221 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 1: make myself sound like I'm a monster or anything, uh anyway, 222 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:13,559 Speaker 1: but Mary's secret, who's a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University 223 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:16,600 Speaker 1: in two thousand five, didn't analysis of fifty five baby 224 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: friendly businesses and found that people often, like Caroline Irvine, 225 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:24,080 Speaker 1: anticipate disaster, but there is rarely a negative effect on 226 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 1: coworkers or productivity. And she found having babies around can 227 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 1: actually boost morale, and she points out, hey, look, there 228 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 1: was never a separation of work and family, so bringing 229 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 1: babies to work it's good all around. Yeah, I mean 230 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: that that morale boost is understandable when you think about 231 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 1: this two thousand seven report from the National Conference of 232 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 1: State Legislatures which cited childcare as the biggest family related 233 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: problem in the workplace because it's a huge source of 234 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:56,079 Speaker 1: absentee um and tardiness and business. We excited a cost 235 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:59,720 Speaker 1: benefit study conducted at the Union Bank in Pacady To, California, 236 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 1: which showed that the institutions on site daycare programs saved 237 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 1: it one hundred thirty eight thousand to two hundred thirty 238 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 1: two thousand in annual operations costs due to the reduction 239 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:14,080 Speaker 1: in both turnover and absentee is um. And that's just 240 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 1: in one place. And then the Business Week article also 241 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 1: cited the book Kids at Work, The Value of Employer 242 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: sponsored on site childcare Centers, in which they estimated the 243 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: savings in wages of a hundred fifty thousand to two 244 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 1: hundred fifty thousand to for just two companies that provided 245 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 1: on site childcare, and there's definitely an effect as far 246 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 1: as new mothers go to UM. Another Business Week story 247 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: from October twelve found that it was a good way 248 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 1: to get young mothers back to work. I mean, maternity 249 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 1: leave isn't cheap, and it's a good way to make 250 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 1: sure they don't quit after having children. Sure well, I 251 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:53,240 Speaker 1: mean it shows that as an employer, you are taking 252 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 1: the whole person into account, not just their life at 253 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: their cubicle, but what happens outside of the cubicle and 254 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: how home life impacts uh, you know, the work that 255 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 1: they're doing. UM. And one thing too in all of 256 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,400 Speaker 1: this is the availability of backup childcare. This isn't just 257 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 1: you know, an on site daycare where you can bring, 258 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 1: you know, a kid to work, but say your child 259 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: is sick, having backup child care is also a crucial resource. 260 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 1: UM Bright Horizons, which is a company that provides backup childcare, 261 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 1: sponsor to survey, and not surprisingly, they found that, you know, 262 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: having backup childcare is a really great thing. But nevertheless, 263 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 1: even though the results might be a ted biased Uh, 264 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: they looked into backup childcare for eight hundred employees and 265 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 1: it resulted in a net savings of over twenty hundred 266 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 1: work days because you know, you don't have to you 267 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 1: don't want to take that time off. Yeah, but it's 268 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 1: not totally cut and dry to everybody. Courtney Lee Adams 269 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: over at Business Week said that the whole taking your 270 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 1: kids to work thing having on site daycare is unrealistic, 271 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 1: and she says it only benefits a small amount of women. 272 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: She points out the professional managerial women make up only 273 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 1: eight percent of the female workforce, whereas of women hold 274 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 1: low wage blue collar jobs. So great Cisco wants to 275 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: have on site daycare, How does that benefit the woman 276 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 1: who works as a cashier at the grocery store? Right, Yeah, 277 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 1: I mean and and that and that is the problem. 278 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 1: Like that I felt like when, for instance, the whole 279 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 1: debate about Marissa Meyer at Yahoo cutting off teleworking and 280 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 1: impacting those working parents, and then her having the you know, 281 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 1: the the nursery built in her CEO suite totally missed 282 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:35,440 Speaker 1: the point of what, you know, the work that really 283 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 1: needs to be done from almost the bottom up of 284 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:41,080 Speaker 1: looking at these lower income working moms who are the 285 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: primary breadwinners who are being sent into temporary poverty or 286 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:49,240 Speaker 1: long term poverty because of you know, lack of access 287 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 1: to quality, affordable childcare. But I digress, and you know, 288 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: she says there are bigger issues like families needing flexible 289 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: work schedules and just playing gender equality, right. I mean, 290 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: some would argue that it doesn't just having on site 291 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 1: daycare is not getting at the heart of the matter, 292 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:13,159 Speaker 1: that the child care burden does still fall largely on women, 293 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:18,639 Speaker 1: although a recent survey out of the Pew Research Center 294 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:22,560 Speaker 1: has found that that gap is narrowing, but still men's 295 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:25,199 Speaker 1: work in a way is valued more highly than women's 296 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 1: work because we simply expect for, you know, women to 297 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 1: to take care of the kids. Yeah, I'm speaking of 298 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:33,600 Speaker 1: taking care of the kids. What about staying at home? 299 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:36,800 Speaker 1: You know, we talked about teleworking at Yahoo, but there 300 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 1: was a column over it she knows dot com that 301 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 1: talked about, well, you might not actually be getting as 302 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 1: much work done from home as you think you are 303 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:49,160 Speaker 1: as you think you will. Um, you might be shooting 304 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: to stay home and spend time with your family but 305 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:53,919 Speaker 1: also get work done. But that could lead to like, actually, 306 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 1: I have to take care of the kids all day 307 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:57,400 Speaker 1: and then stay up until two am working. Oh yeah, 308 00:17:57,440 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 1: I mean if you were working from home and trying 309 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 1: to take care of a baby. At the same time, 310 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:02,919 Speaker 1: you're taking care of a baby and maybe getting some 311 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:05,200 Speaker 1: work done on the side. Yeah. So the writer actually 312 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 1: encouraged moms who find themselves in that situation to consider, like, Okay, well, 313 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,120 Speaker 1: what do you make, what do you do, and what's 314 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 1: the situation with your kids, and is it worth it 315 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 1: to bring in an outside person to just be there 316 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:18,719 Speaker 1: to supervise while you work. Yeah, because a lot of times, 317 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 1: like you, you know, you need to be able to 318 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:24,640 Speaker 1: pay undivided attention to your work to get it done. 319 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: Imagine if we had a baby in the podcast studio, 320 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:31,920 Speaker 1: would be kind of fun. Okay, that'd be a weird podcast. 321 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:36,920 Speaker 1: Can we just have a puppy? Okay, we're kidding. So 322 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 1: the takeaway, it seems like from this whole question of 323 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 1: childcare at the workplace is that, you know, parenting at 324 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 1: work is becoming more common among larger businesses, even down 325 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:51,200 Speaker 1: to more mom and pop operations where it's totally fine 326 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 1: for someone to bring baby with him or her to 327 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:59,199 Speaker 1: work and telework and flexible options are something that is 328 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: very desirable for working moms in particular who might need 329 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:06,640 Speaker 1: a little more flexibility with their schedules. So it's good 330 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 1: that that kind of stuff is being opened up as well, 331 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 1: But there is still the you know, these problems of 332 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 1: what about for the majority of working moms who might 333 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:23,000 Speaker 1: not be working at jobs that would provide such lavish benefits, right, 334 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:25,439 Speaker 1: And there are you know a lot of moms out 335 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 1: there who are in danger if they fall into this 336 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:33,360 Speaker 1: temporary poverty of getting caught in a welfare and subsidies 337 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 1: cycle and not being able to get out of it 338 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:37,880 Speaker 1: because you know, they lose their jobs, they can't pay 339 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 1: for child care, you know, they it's it's just a 340 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 1: cycle of not being able to get back into the workforce, 341 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 1: right and considering the fact that the government safety net 342 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:49,360 Speaker 1: in a way is not as buoyant as it used 343 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:53,719 Speaker 1: to be because of recessionary budget cuts, the situation has 344 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: gotten even bleaker in terms of that. So, I mean, 345 00:19:57,359 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 1: for for this episode, I really do want to hear 346 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 1: from working parents out there who you know are dealing 347 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:06,960 Speaker 1: with childcare issues. I mean, you and I obviously don't 348 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 1: have kids, and when you start to look at the 349 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:11,919 Speaker 1: costs of childcare. You know, I don't know if it 350 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 1: puts it puts not having a child so much more 351 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:18,720 Speaker 1: into perspective, because you know, it is such a huge 352 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:20,920 Speaker 1: cost and something. You know, I worked at a daycare 353 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:24,119 Speaker 1: center when I was in late high school and early 354 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:27,159 Speaker 1: college and um, yeah, I mean it was it was 355 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 1: so hard to watch the parents for the first time 356 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:32,440 Speaker 1: taking their their kids there and then putting their their 357 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 1: babies into my arm to take care of it. Like, 358 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 1: who is this young whipper snapper taking my child away? 359 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: I promised I did the best I could. Um, but yeah, 360 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:46,199 Speaker 1: I mean it's it's expensive, it's time consuming, it is 361 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:49,600 Speaker 1: not easy. Um. So I want to hear from parents 362 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:52,199 Speaker 1: to whether or not on site childcare really is, you know, 363 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 1: a great thing that they could take advantage of. And 364 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 1: I should say that how stuff works as parent corporation, 365 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 1: Discovery Communications does provide on site childcare at their headquarters. 366 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 1: So now that we've given you all this information on childcare, 367 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 1: send us your thoughts mom stuff at Discovery dot com. 368 00:21:13,359 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: You know, we want to hear from you. What what 369 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 1: are your opinions, what what have you dealt with? We 370 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 1: want to we want to read your mail. Well, I've 371 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:23,119 Speaker 1: got an email here from Toby about our episode on 372 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: women in the military fighting in combat positions, and Toby writes, 373 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,199 Speaker 1: I think the arguments used by proponents of women in 374 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: combat is actually doing a disservice to future women's soldiers. 375 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:39,240 Speaker 1: Unlike other military positions where women simply adapt and learned 376 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:41,440 Speaker 1: to work within the confines of an all male environment, 377 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:43,880 Speaker 1: this is one situation where the military needs to make 378 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:48,120 Speaker 1: concrete steps to formulate viable solutions for the successful incorporation 379 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:50,920 Speaker 1: of women into the new role. To simply place one's 380 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:53,840 Speaker 1: faith on the professionalism of soldiers and to make off 381 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 1: handed assumptions that the insertion of female soldiers and combat 382 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 1: units would not create any tension, sexual or otherwise demonstrates 383 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:03,160 Speaker 1: a complete lack of understanding of the realities of war. 384 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 1: Unit cohesion and combat readiness would undoubtedly be affected for 385 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 1: better or worse, and refusal to recognize this fact is 386 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: naivete at the highest levels, to say the least. Therefore, 387 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:15,840 Speaker 1: changes will have to be made to accommodate women and 388 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:18,040 Speaker 1: to ensure that women can serve their country in a 389 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:21,199 Speaker 1: dignified environment so that they may demonstrate their talent to 390 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 1: the full potential. Uh, to which I say, since women 391 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 1: have already essentially been fighting in combat positions, because the 392 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 1: rules of warfare have changed so much in that the 393 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 1: front line has largely disappeared, I think women have been 394 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 1: acclimating themselves to those new environments. But yeah, sure, the 395 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 1: army you know, should take every step to uh prepare 396 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 1: their soldiers and thus you know have have them protected 397 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:52,359 Speaker 1: as much as possible because you don't want to lose 398 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 1: more lives because of women being in combat. And I 399 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:59,199 Speaker 1: don't think that's going to happen. So thanks for your 400 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:05,440 Speaker 1: perspective on that. So Jack shared a picture with us. UH. 401 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:08,360 Speaker 1: He said that this is a statue at the Memorial 402 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:12,119 Speaker 1: Park in Huntsville, Alabama, and it shows a man and 403 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 1: a woman uh bringing their wounded brother in arms off 404 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 1: of the battlefield. He just said that it was a 405 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 1: great Uh. It was great that women are getting visibility 406 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 1: for being in harm's way. But he goes on to 407 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:24,680 Speaker 1: say that I agree with lifting the band on women 408 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:27,080 Speaker 1: in combat. I recognize that the arguments for the band 409 00:23:27,119 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 1: fall into three categories that you mentioned, and all of 410 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 1: them are baseless. I've heard all three arguments and the 411 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:34,960 Speaker 1: disruption to unit cohesion is the most common. The U 412 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 1: S Military is a professional armed force. As professionals, the 413 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 1: men and women serving in the forest can control their 414 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 1: actions and are not distracted from duty by soldiers of 415 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:46,080 Speaker 1: the opposite sex. He goes on to say I served 416 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 1: in the Air Force from two thousand three. During that 417 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 1: time I earned the Combat Readiness Medal. It is awarded 418 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: for twenty four months of service in a combat force. 419 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:56,720 Speaker 1: The duty title was Missile Combat crew Member. This is 420 00:23:56,760 --> 00:23:59,920 Speaker 1: the job of being ready to launch nuclear i CBMs 421 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:03,040 Speaker 1: should we enter into a nuclear conflict. I served alongside 422 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 1: women in this role and they too earned the Combat 423 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: Readiness Medal for the study. The job involved having two 424 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 1: crew members spend twenty four hours in a secure bunker 425 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:12,920 Speaker 1: underground ready to turn keys that would launch our I 426 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:16,400 Speaker 1: CBM force. In a twenty four hour alert, one crew 427 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:18,480 Speaker 1: member had to remain awake, so we split the time 428 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:21,640 Speaker 1: into sleep shifts. Crews were made up of mixed genders. 429 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:25,600 Speaker 1: There were no problems. Everyone in the wing were professionals 430 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 1: and acted professionally. So thank you for sharing your story, Jack, 431 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: and also thank you for the picture of the statue 432 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:35,119 Speaker 1: in Huntsville, Alabama. And thanks to everyone who's written into 433 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:38,639 Speaker 1: Mom's Stuff at Discovery dot com again send us your 434 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:43,199 Speaker 1: thoughts on parenting and childcare in the workplace. You can 435 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:45,400 Speaker 1: do it there, or you can head over to our 436 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 1: Facebook page. Like us while you're at it, and follow 437 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:50,919 Speaker 1: us on Twitter at Mom's Stuff podcast. And you can 438 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:53,680 Speaker 1: also find us on Tumbler at stuff mom Never Told 439 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: You dot tumbler dot com. And if you'd like to 440 00:24:56,600 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 1: get smarter this week, you should head to our website 441 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:07,600 Speaker 1: soul stuff Works dot com for more on this and 442 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:18,920 Speaker 1: thousands of other topics. Is it how stuff works dot com.