It Ain't Right

Recently I have been thinking about maternity leave. I'm not sure I recounted my personal saga after my last experience with maternity leave. But the return to work was less than desirable.

The long and short of it goes like this. I worked in a place that was difficult to begin with, but was fully ready to return to said place because I like the students and my colleagues. Since I went on maternity leave after spring break I began emailing my principal in May to see where I would be placed the for the new school year. I never got a response. I continued to email, call, and text several times before the new year began, and I never recieved a response. Not even, hey how are you , I don't know where you will be next year, let me get back to you. NOTHING. So the end of the story is that all the slots were full until another teacher resigned and they placed me in a 6th grade position. I have never taught over 2nd grade! Nor did I want to!

The bottom line is this: I did not have a guaranteed spot when I returned. Yes, my job and my position was secure, but the grade level and school location was not guaranteed. So basically by having a child and choosing to spend time to bond with him, I had to give up my place.

Just this past week my sister in law went through something very similar. She was given the same scenario where her position and pay were guaranteed, but not her hours or location. 

How can that be legal?! It is difficult enough to go back to work when your baby is so small. For many women it even means leaving your baby with a stranger for 8 or more hours. That is an extremely stressful situation to begin with, and then adding the uncertainty of where you will be working is even more stressful. Why should we be punished for giving birth to children who will one day run this world, and spending time to bond with them so that they grow into the fantastic human beings they are meant to be?

Then my mind went to a very dark, feminist place. When a man goes on paternity leave, is he giving up his place? Is he subject to the same injustice for bonding with his child? I am willing to bet the answer is no. 

WHAT HAS THIS SHIT HOLE OF A WORLD COME TO? Jesus, would you come back already?

I'm curious to know if any other moms have run into something like this, or know if their child's father had issues with his paternity leave.

Bacteria Blues

What do you do when life gives you two sick kids?

When you're me you try to help them fight it off on their own, with the help of some homeopathic over the counter aides. But, when they stay sick for more than two weeks.... You cave and give them antibiotics. 

I heard this horrible study on the radio recently that solidified my desire to restrict antibiotics from my kids. Basically, it shows links between kids with asthma having antibiotics as infants.

As if I didn't have reason enough to keep them away, now my baby could develop asthma?!

I just feel that we should let our bodies get rid of the bacteria on their own, and develop the antibodies for the next time around. We should let our bodies do the work. However, I do believe that there are cases where medical intervention is necessary. 

So since Gideon has gone almost 5 years without the need of antibiotics, and Harper is almost a year old (I know, but that is a different post), I decided that the doctor was in fact right this time.

And of course now momma has the same symptoms. And you better believe that I feel vindicated going to the doctor tomorrow.