Just read this. I find myself instinctively agreeing with it, especially the part in bold below (my emphasis). But equally I see tension between this and women's equality in the workplace and within relationships. Interested in hearing other women's thoughts.
The Real Childcare Crisis: When Mothers Can't Afford to Be Mothers
I have always believed — as most mothers do — that the first three years of a child’s life are absolutely crucial. And now or rather, and again, neuroscience and child psychology confirm what our instincts already told us: young children need consistent, loving care from their mothers in those early years to develop emotionally and neurologically. This isn’t sentiment — it’s science.
So why do we have a system that forces mothers to walk away from their babies before they’re ready?
Everywhere you turn, politicians and pundits talk about the “childcare crisis.” But what they really mean is a labour crisis — not enough adults in the workforce. Their solution? Push more mothers into full-time employment and expand state-funded daycare. It doesn’t matter whether the mother wants to return to work, or whether the child is ready. It doesn’t matter whether the job is fulfilling or soul-destroying. What matters, to them, is productivity.
At the Party of Women, we say: enough. Mothers are not spare parts in the economy. Babies are not burdens to be outsourced. Families are not the problem — they are the foundation of a stable society.
“The Party of Women believes that women should have a genuine choice to raise their young children at home without being economically penalised or socially pressured.”
This crisis didn’t emerge overnight. It began when we were all expected to start pretending that men and women are interchangeable in parenthood — that fathers could be just as natural, nurturing, and attuned to infants as mothers. But this ideological shift did not serve women or children well. It demanded that women deny their instincts, suppress their unique role, and behave as if babies need only a “caregiver,” not a mother. It’s a lie — and it has led to policies that devalue the maternal bond, treat childcare as a commodity, and shame women for wanting to stay at home with their babies.
One of the most damaging consequences of this thinking was the removal of joint taxation for married couples. Once, the tax system recognised that raising children was a shared family responsibility — now it punishes couples where one parent stays home. It assumes everyone should be in paid work, and that the care of children is secondary or easily replaceable. It isn’t.
Many women today are returning to work when their babies are just months old — not because they want to, but because they cannot afford not to. And for what? Often, it’s not a dream job or a fulfilling career. It’s a stressful, low-paid role that barely covers the cost of childcare. Mothers are exhausted. Children are missing out. Families are strained. No one is winning in this model.
We must stop pretending this is progress.
Psychotherapist Erica Komisar, in her book Being There, lays out the evidence: a mother’s presence in the first three years of life is essential for a child’s mental health. When that bond is disrupted too soon, children are more likely to experience anxiety, behavioural issues, and difficulties forming relationships later in life. That’s not guilt-tripping — that’s facing the truth.
Our policy response must reflect that truth. That’s why the Party of Women is committed to:
- Resolving the economic pressures that force mothers into premature separation from their children;
- Exploring tax reforms and family allowances that support parents’ right to choose how they care for their children;
- Recognising motherhood as a vital contribution to the social and economic wellbeing of the country;
- And ensuring no woman has to choose between bonding with her baby and paying the bills.
Let me say clearly: I believe motherhood is a superpower. It is one of the most meaningful and remarkable things most women will ever do in their entire lifetime. It should be celebrated, supported, and protected — not undermined by policy and dismissed by culture.
This is not about left or right. It’s about truth. It’s about recognising that the wellbeing of children should not be sacrificed on the altar of GDP.
A society that truly values families would not penalise a mother for staying home in the years her child needs her most. A society that truly puts children first would not view maternal care as a private indulgence, but as a public good.
It’s time to stop treating motherhood as a problem to fix — and start treating it as the foundation to build on.