Go Fund Baby

Parents had hope for a better future when Ivanka rose to power in the Trump administration. We realize that it didn’t take much persuasion other than, ”Daddy! Give me an office in the White House.” And there she was getting trade deals for her products in China. We had hope that at least she would be influential in giving Americans more in their wallets and not more money in just her wallet. Like her Dad, she lies too. The first daughter vowed that if her father won the election, she will   promote paid family leave as part of his Presidential agenda. She instead promoted herself. Expectant parents are desperate for some financial relief. They have gone so far as requesting go fund me pages on social media for paternity and maternity leave.

The issue is real labor pains of a different kind. Women still have the total responsibility for carrying the unborn child. Science has developed lots of erectile   dysfunction   drugs for the man’s pleasure sexually but not so much research into creating a uterus for a man to carry the unborn child. The woman has the baby and her own health issues to recover from after a successful birth.  The problem is that there are more women in the work force that need her too. Mom needs to get well again and she needs time with her baby too. Society needs to give her PAID time off from work. Requests for money are showing up on Baby Registries in desperation for some cash at that all so busy time in new parent’s lives.

Most couples have a two income home with full time jobs, where is there money or time for a baby too? Quite often one income disappears. It would be great if a woman could take 12 weeks off to recover and get the baby settled in with breastfeeding and sleep issues for all. Most good jobs entitle a woman only six weeks off of short term disability with four of those weeks   offering   only 60% of her salary. There are now cash fund spots on Baby Registry sites. Some Moms list a goal of only $3,000 dollars. Usually they only raise about $500 dollars but they are grateful for any extra cash. Some crowd funding sites are Baby list, Plumfund  and GoFundMe. The United States is the ONLY advanced country where paid leave is not government sponsored.

Under the current Federal law, new Moms can take off 12 weeks from work but only 13% actually get compensation. If there is complications like illnesses or early births or health problems for Mom or baby or both, the 12 weeks is very necessary in order to recover. Pride and privacy is now taking a back seat for couples who simply need financial help now.  Some companies are now supporting the issue and are offering better maternity packages for their employees. Good companies to work for are American Express, Starbucks, Adobe, Microsoft, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Facebook. These companies lure in good talent by boasting about their parental benefits. Last year Etsy began offering all parents 26 weeks off fully paid and in 2015 Netflix began offering a whole year of leave off at full pay. We still need help for the parents that do not work for big companies.

The White House says that the maternity leave policy will be part of a tax reform package. Really? Since when was maternity a tax issue? His offer only refers to Moms. Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand recently introduced The Family Act that will include Dads too. It is a bill that will fund people through insurance plans. We need a National Insurance Plan that all businesses can afford not just the most profitable businesses that I just mentioned. On the local levels only three states offer paid leave programs. They are California, New Jersey and Rhode Island so go live there. Time off with your newborn baby is so rewarding and necessary for all concerned. Someone do something in Washington! The average cost of child care for one child in the United States id $16,514 dollers per year.