D is for Daycare

I was going to write about Dreams, Desires, Darkness.. and all those mystical things that I could think of. However, one random conversation in the washroom with a colleague changed the topic.

So, I am going to talk about “Daycare”.

The facility, wherein you can leave your child for the entire day , when you are at work. It is amongst the newer concept here in India. Because, it off late that there has been a surge in the working mother’s population, and also the single mother population.

I have a working mother. I had a full time maid supervised by my super robust and awesome grandmother. My mum is a teacher, and so the number of hours are lesser. Much more flexible than those of the Multinationals.

This colleague of mine sent away her child for almost one year to her mother’s house, because, she couldn’t have left her job. And even if she could have left her job, he husband would have been alone, till the child was old enough. So she entrusted her 4 month daughter to her mother’s care in Delhi. She did not want a maid taking care of the child all by herself (maid), and her mum had to take care of her dad too, who was by himself in Delhi. The in-laws, are well independent beings. The husband has no jobs in Delhi. So the daughter was sent.

I know, how would a lot of you feel, you would say that, what was the need of having a child then? But let’s face the facts, time does run out for women. They end up compromising a lot of things, to fulfill their dreams of a happy family and a great career. I think, I salute her. My colleague. It takes a lot of courage to do what she and her husband did. To have your child looked after in her most formative months by your own mom especially when you know you can’t give that much time, is a feat in itself.

The child is back with her parents now, but she goes to the daycare now.

I don’t know, how will I ever cope up with this. My situation is no better, and we are talking (JUST TALKING) about going family way. But, at a time when our combined income is hardly enough to scrape through.. how in the world can I even think about taking a break from my job/ career? Will the husband move to Delhi, or would he let me the same step that my colleague took? I don’t think that I would want to leave my child to the only care of a maid, or that of a daycare.. not when the baby is just that a baby.

 

What do you have to say about the Daycare, upbringing??