Maternity Leave Rant

I've only posted one time in the year since my miscarriage, but I know this topic is worth discussing.

I try to never post negativity; there's nothing worse than someone writing a huge rant or complaint on Facebook, only to follow it with #rantover. But I don't care anymore. I'm going to rant.

Here's why I have a problem with maternity leave policies in America:

1. Go to college. $$$$$ 

2. Become a teacher and devote life to kids. $ 

3. Get income-based repayment plan in order to afford monthly student loan payments in the amount of a mortgage. 

4. Buy a house because it's cheaper than renting.

5. Have kid #1 in May. Find the cheapest daycare provider in the area. 

6. Go back to work after just six weeks. Summer break a week later--thank goodness!

7. Save days when possible; have to take off for sick toddler.

8. Get pregnant 3.5 years later. Plan spring pregnancy to avoid docked pay and allow for more time off. 

9. Lose baby. No time off for this kind of thing. Go back to work after just two days.
10. Policy change in district. Justin can no longer donate sick days to me. One month to prepare financially for this shock.

11. Have kid #2. Saved time is equal to 5.5 weeks. The last few days docked large sum from paycheck.

12. Go to hospital for two-week-old because of fever. Stress and fear. More bills.

13. Go back to work Try not to get sick. No paid sick days for the rest of the year.

14. Keep working, wake up with baby each night, even just once. Tired. 

15. Get sick over the first break since baby. Deal with it and go to work for two weeks, even when it's getting worse. Finally go to doctor at night to avoid taking time off. Lungs wheezing and chest inflamed. Get steroid and antibiotic. Back to work the next day.

16. Continue to nurse, pump, nurse, pump.
17. Car breaks down for the first time since we bought it. New alternator. 

18. One week later, get really sick. Go to work anyway. Deal with nausea, migraine, etc. all day. No $ to take off. 

19. Wake up sick. Take 1/2 day AM. SOL test is tomorrow. Need to go to work to see the kids and help review.

20. Still sick. Submit to the need to take the rest of the day off. No pay for today. I'll get docked next month when we're broke from Christmas. 

21. Appointment scheduled for next week. Another 1/2 day without pay because the doctor only works until 2 PM.

All of this to remind you that, had I not lost a baby last year, I would have had a few more sick days to use for the six weeks off. But that loss doesn't count because "it" wasn't out of the womb. No bereavement time. 

Here's what's wrong with all of this:

• Parents need more support.
• Teachers need more money to help with basic lifestyle needs.
• Maternity leave needs to be overhauled; even just six weeks, or four, or one, fully paid, would be a huge help. 
• If a miscarriage or later stillbirth can be proven and documented, bereavement time should be given, even if it's one or two days.

We are two hard-working, educated teachers, but even we struggle. We need to make changes in this country for those of us who can't seem to catch a break. We, as teachers, devote our lives to other lives, and yet, if we lose a life that is growing inside of us, we can't take a couple of days to breathe. 

I've heard that "fair is not always equal," but there needs to be more fairness and equality in this country for maternity leave. A friend of mine works in a call center, and he (yes, he) gets eight weeks fully paid for paternity leave. Yet I'm a teacher who helps raise these children who are born, and I don't get any paid time. Other countries have laws for paid maternity leave for employees--and many of them are twelve weeks.  The United States, home to The American Dream, is one of three or four countries without any paid leave policy. Everyone else supports their parents.

Something is horribly wrong with our system. We need to provide more financial assistance for students who want to go to college. We have a teacher shortage in Virginia, but teachers can't even afford the bills from five years of college, so why would they choose that profession? We need to help parents--foster parents, adoptive parents, parents. We need to provide a little cushion to help with the up-front physical and emotional cost of having a child.

We need to follow other countries and offer assistance for mothers and fathers. 

I shouldn't be punished for being a hard-working teacher in America who chooses to have kids, and I definitely shoudln't be punished for losing a child or getting sick.

#rantover