Caring for your infant can be magical and mind-expanding, but it’s labour too. We all need respite from the rat race, says Guardian columnist Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett
you couldn’t just hall off to the Bahamas or whatever
You absolutely can, with a child.
It may not be a ‘job’, but it is still work
Nope. Of course you can define “work” as anything you do, including brushing your teeth and watching telly if you want - but looking after the baby is not something I would ever describe as “work”.
Physical or mental effort or activity directed toward the production or accomplishment of something.
”Cleaning the basement was a lot of work."
Such effort or activity by which one makes a living; employment.
”looking for work."
Again, kids are work. And since, as another lemming pointed out, some people do it as an actual job, it counts under both definitions.
And if you do hie off to the Bahamas, you still have to bring that work along. You can’t just leave it behind and just have a relaxing vacation with nothing to do. (Unless you find a babysitter, but then you’re not doing the work of childcare anymore; now you’re using maternal leave for something that isn’t work).
You absolutely can, with a child.
Nope. Of course you can define “work” as anything you do, including brushing your teeth and watching telly if you want - but looking after the baby is not something I would ever describe as “work”.
You get maternity pay to feed/wash/whatever another human being.
Carers have been doing this for years. It’s work. It’s even a career for some people.
Again, kids are work. And since, as another lemming pointed out, some people do it as an actual job, it counts under both definitions.
And if you do hie off to the Bahamas, you still have to bring that work along. You can’t just leave it behind and just have a relaxing vacation with nothing to do. (Unless you find a babysitter, but then you’re not doing the work of childcare anymore; now you’re using maternal leave for something that isn’t work).
Again, you are wrong.
What work sweetheart, since you just took a year off work?
All right, honey. What would you call the constant care an infant needs, if it isn’t work?
Infant care, silly.
And it is work, by, again, both definitions.
No, silly. It is an infant care.