SAHM numbers lowest for 15 years - we need your views for Sky interview tomorrow am

[carriemumsnet]

The headlines for the report say:

• Number of stay at home parents in the UK drops 21% from 2.8 million in 1993 to 2.2 million today

• Parents say their household would need an average income of £31,731 for one parent to stay at home, yet the average annual income for a male is £28,464 (10% less) and a female is £18,047 (43% less)

• Over a third (36%) of families with children under 2 have both parents at work, and 1 in 3 (38%) working parents spend less than 4 waking hours a day with their children

• If money was no object, 7 out of 10 (71%) working parents would have stayed at home to raise their children[9]

I guess the first question they'll ask is does this reflect Mumsnetters' experienec? Are Mumsnetters feeling the pinch financially and is this making folks who might have considered staying at home - go back to work?

What would be your ideal?
The Gov giving you money to either :
Pay for childcare
Pay grandparents/extended family

Or do you think it should be left as is - personal choice but dependent on financial circumstance?

Any other pithy thoughts and insights gratefully accepted. Will only have about 3 or 4 mins so won't be able to completely set the world to rights, but be good to know what you think.

Thanks in advance

I am a SAHM, I gave up being a f/t WOHM as I hated leaving DD in nursery 40+ hours a week and realised I was doing it as it was what society expected, and looking toward a bigger house, holiday, new car etc.. not what I wanted deep down, it felt wrong. I have never regretted it and adore being home. I love picking my kids up from school and having the energy to chat with them and have their friends round, I also like time to myself and freedom and have the chance to do an OU degree. My DH works 39 hrs a week in average wage job. He works shifts which would make it hard for me to work even if I wanted to. We cut back on material items, we have one car which we share and usually a UK holiday. The kids do not go without but learn the true value of things.

I also find the focus on wraparound care really quite negative and scary. This government only care about 'economic productivity' and they even slate part time workers in one report calling it a waste of productivity, truthfully they would have eveyone in f/t work with kids in large 50 hr a week institutions. I think the allowance of £50 a week is a great idea, then people really would have a choice. Work is overrated for alot of people and is not the focus of life for everyone.

Agree with fio- and as someone said earlier until after-school childcare is sorted for children with severe or complex disabilities there are a whole bunch of women (usually) who can never work (and this a group who would benefit metal health wise enormously from going out to work as well).

I am a SAHM, we simply reduce out expenditure to allow me to do it. We haven't been away on holiday since dc's were born. We all have very sparse wardrobes, btu I would rather have time with the dc's than material things.
I do think that we should have financial help like working parents do with childcare. It would save teh goverment money in the long term as we would have a generation of happier more stable children, who feel their parents care and want to spend time with them, and less stressed mothers trying to do everything.

oh yes agree riven - or for long children with long term illnesses. I know someone who has just had to give us his job to help out because of long term illness in the eldest child (with long periods in hospital). There is almost no support available for these families. Working might not be appropriate in every case- the child may need both sets of parents, but cuurently there is no choice. DS1 for example has no health needs and is more than happy to go off somewhere for childcare (more than happy he enjoys it) but there isn't any. I'm expecting to get some days in a playscheme this summer, but nothing is guaranteed, it will be probably one day a week and I won't know until about 2 weeks before. You can't work - except in a very very flexible job- around that.

To Joash

Hi I am a kinship carer and I would love to speak with you as I am involved with setting up a support group for the Family Rights Group, please get in touch or reply.

I too am fighting for the rights of relative and kinship carers and was at a conference in Liverpool about this.