第1044期:Stay-at-home Moms

John: So we've been talking about women's roles in society. And are you a stay-at-home momor a working mom?

Sarah: Well, I guess I'm both. Right now, I'm on maternity leave and I'm on month six of maternity leave.

John: What does that mean?

Sarah: So maternity leave is when you have a job but then you become pregnant or you're going to have a baby, maybe adopt, too. So you're going to have a baby, and so you take time off of work to stay home with the new baby.

John: Oh, I see. Do you still get paid?

Sarah: I do. I get about half of my wage. So I do still get paid and I'm very grateful for that. So I've been at home with the new baby for six months. And I'm going to go back to work next month.

John: Oh. What will happen with the baby?

Sarah: So I have two kids actually. I have a toddler and a baby. And both of them will go to daycare during the day.

John: I see.

Sarah: So I signed up for the daycare before the baby was even born. It's really hard to find good daycare that you can afford, that's near your house. So you have to start planning before the baby is even born if you're the type of person who wants to go back to work.

John: I see. I don't think many men worry about getting good daycare for their children…

Sarah: No.

John: When they think about their jobs.

Sarah: No. Even when there's a family, and the mother and father both work, still it's the mother that has to do everything with the kids, usually. Usually, the mom has to for example, get the bag ready for the kids to take to daycare. They have to arrange the daycare. They have – the daycare has the mother's phone number, usually.And so, the mom has to do a lot of extra work even though mom and dad both have full time jobs.

John: I see. Are you saying that things should be different?

Sarah: Yes. I think things should be different. I'm so lucky my husband agrees with me. And my husband, he drops the kids off at daycare and he picks them up and he does the laundry and the dishes. And it helps me to be – and it helps me focus on my career so that I can stay late at work if I need to. I can go to an extra meeting on a weekend. And it makes me feel more fulfilled that it's not my husband's job that comes first.A lot of times women make less money than men and they put their job second to their husband. And it's not equal, and it's not fair. And so, I think that people should work on making things more equal.

John: Well, I agree with you.

Sarah: Thank you.