Overview

On 1 January this year, the Australian Government introduced Australia’s first national Paid Parental Leave scheme, giving eligible working parents (usually mothers) up to 18 weeks Parental Leave Pay.

Paid Parental Leave is designed to help mothers recover from the birth, establish breastfeeding and bond with their new baby in those critical early months.

On 1 January 2013, the Paid Parental Leave scheme will be extended to give extra support to new parents with two weeks Dad and Partner Pay.

Dad and Partner Pay will give fathers and other partners financial assistance to take time off work to support new mothers in their caring role, and help them recover from the birth. It will also help fathers to bond with their new child and be involved in their child’s care from an early age.

This is good for dads, good for mums, and gives babies the best start in life.

The Government recognises that the involvement of fathers in children’s lives has many positive benefits for children including improved social and emotional development.

A dedicated payment for dads under the Paid Parental Leave scheme will encourage fathers to take some time off after the birth of a child, and help ensure that paternity leave is seen as a normal part of work and family life.

This additional financial assistance will be especially important for fathers and partners who currently struggle to afford taking time off when their baby is born. It will particularly benefit casual workers without annual leave entitlements and the self-employed, such as tradespeople, small business owners and those working in a family business or on a farm.

Paid Parental Leave: Dad and Partner Pay is an election commitment of the Australian Government and was a recommendation of the Productivity Commission’s report – Paid Parental Leave: Support for Parents with Newborn Children.

This new entitlement will add to the range of family assistance provided by the Australian Government to assist families with the costs of raising children.

About Dad and Partner Pay

Dad and Partner Pay will be available to eligible working fathers and partners (including adopting parents and parents in same-sex couples) from 1 January 2013. Eligible fathers and partners will receive up to two weeks Dad and Partner Pay at the rate of the National Minimum Wage, currently around $590 a week before tax.

Fathers and other partners who are sharing their child’s care, and who meet the work and income tests, will be able to access the payment.

Dad and Partner Pay provides the assistance that families need to make their own decisions about balancing work and family – and balancing the caring role between mum and dad.

To be eligible, the father or partner will need to have worked about one day a week (330 hours) for at least 10 of the 13 months prior to the birth or adoption and have not earned more than $150,000 in the previous financial year. The income of the other parent, such as the mother, will not count towards the income test.

Full-time, part-time, casual, seasonal, contract and self-employed workers may be eligible for the scheme.

Dad and Partner Pay will be available to fathers and other partners who meet eligibility requirements, regardless of whether the mother has been in paid work or at home prior to the birth or adoption. A father can be eligible for Dad and Partner Pay even if a mother is not receiving Parental Leave Pay.

Dad and Partner Pay will apply in addition to any employer-funded paid leave but cannot be taken at the same time the employee is taking paid leave.

Dad and Partner Pay also cannot be transferred to the primary carer (usually the mother). This ‘use it or lose it’ provision will encourage fathers and other partners to take some time off, and signals to employers that a father’s role in caring for a new baby is important.

Eligible fathers and partners can currently receive unused Parental Leave Pay from their partner. Dad and Partner Pay will be able to be taken before or after any transferred Parental Leave Pay but cannot be taken at the same time.

Dad and Partner Pay will only be paid once for each birth or adoption, and will need to be taken within 12 months of the child’s birth or adoption.

The consultation process

The Australian Government is now undertaking a consultation process to finalise the details of Dad and Partner Pay before drafting legislation.

The Australian Government wants to make sure that Dad and Partner Pay is easy to implement and achieves its objectives.

The Australian Government welcomes comments on all elements of the proposed payment, including on the delivery arrangements.

It is proposed that eligible fathers and partners will generally receive Dad and Partner Pay from the Family Assistance Office. However some employers may wish to play a role in providing Dad and Partner Pay to their employees.

We also want your views on the proposed name for the new entitlement as part of the Paid Parental Leave scheme: ‘Dad and Partner Pay’.

A Policy Statement providing more detailed information on the proposed scheme, including detailed eligibility requirements and delivery arrangements is available at FaHCSIA website.

Source:  FaHCSIA

Gone are the days when mums stay at home to take care of the kids and supervise the household chores. As more women break the glass ceiling in the corporate workplace, the traditional family roles are reversed with dads staying at home to look after the family.

For some men, the situation can be refreshing. Becoming a stay-at-home dad allows one to spend more time with the kids, see them grow up, and have a positive influence on them. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics there are now 12,000 stay at home Dads in Australia compared to 230,000 mums, an increase of almost 36 per cent over two years. Despite these figures, there’s still very little out there to cater for the Stay At Home Dad.

Here are a few ways to ensure that stay-at-home dads stay healthy and remain confident with themselves in the light of their new roles.

1. Understand and accept that you need help.

Contrary to what many men think, managing a household is not easy. You must understand and accept that you will need help in many situations. Don’t be afraid to ask your wife or your mum on how to do the laundry or what medicine to give your daughter when she has fever.

Mums also had to ask for help to learn how to manage the household. I don’t see why you shouldn’t seek help, as well.

2. Be creative in doing things.

Don’t be pressured to do things the way your wife did. You don’t have to cook the exact same meals or clean the house just as she does. One major cause of stress for stay-at-home dads is the self-imposed pressure that they should do everything as perfectly as the wife did.

Be creative in coming up with dishes that you and your family would enjoy. Bring your kids to new places or play new games with them. Remember that you are your own person and that you do things differently.

And a note for the wife: Cut your husband some slack. If he doesn’t fold the clothes like you do, don’t nag him. He’s doing the best he can.

3. Observe some ‘me-time.’

Mums keep sane because they have a ‘me-time.’ A stay-at-home dad should also have the same quality time for himself. Whether it’s hitting the gym, reading a good book, playing an hour of video games, having a beer, give yourself a break.

Your ‘me-time’ should also include activities that allow you to stay healthy like a game of golf, running or eating healthier meals.

4. Learn new things.

A stay-at-home dad should grab the opportunity to learn new things like carpentry, computer programming, gardening, cooking, etc. You can attend classes or online seminars. Learning helps you maintain a healthy attitude about yourself, and minimize the risk of being overwhelmed.

5. Find a support group.

Check your child’s school if there are stay-at-home dads that you can talk to. You can also socialize with stay-at-home mums to learn more about managing the household.

You can also check the Web to find online support groups for stay-at-home dads. A support group—whether virtual friends or your own relatives and friends—can help you stay focused on what matters most. Men’s Line Australia has a great page on Children and Fathering

Nobody said being a stay-at-home parent is easy. But the challenges you will face would be nothing compared to seeing your family happy, healthy and fulfilled.

Most people assume dual income families are better off financially. Two incomes are better than one, aren’t they? The answer is not always.

Around half of all children under two years of age have both parents in the workforce. When you take into account higher taxes, lower family benefits, child care costs, transport and the rest, the price of both parents going to work may offset the benefits.

The last thing I want to do is discourage people from entering or staying in the workforce. The truth is it’s not all about the money, many parents choose to return to work for other reasons like stimulation or the chance to socialise. However, it’s important you work out how much it’s costing you to bring in a second income… and whether it’s worth it for your family.

Tax and family payments

The real cost of two incomes can be much more than what you fork out in tax. Our means tested family tax benefit system hits second income earners, which are usually women, when they go back to work.

The more you earn the less Family Tax Benefit Part A your family will receive. Family Tax Benefit Part B cuts out altogether if the secondary earner, with a child aged 5 to 18 years, makes over $19,000 a year.

Transport

Add up how much you spend on getting to and from work. Include all tickets, taxis, parking stations, tolls, petrol and car maintenance. It’s not cheap. A weekly train ticket form Sydney’s outer suburbs to the CBD can cost close to $50.

Child care

Child care of up to a whopping $120 a day may seem okay when you’re comparing it to your gross income, but that’s not what you take home. Work out how much you’ve got left after you pay tax and transport.

Remember to take government help into account. You may be eligible for the Child Care Benefit, a payment to help cover the cost of childcare. The amount you receive will depend on your income and whether your kids are in an approved or registered childcare centre, but it could be as much as $184 a week for a child in approved care.

The quarterly Child Care Tax Rebate isn’t means tested. If you’re working and using approved childcare the government will meet 50 per cent of your out-of-pocket expenses, up to a maximum rebate of $7,500 per child each year. That halves the cost of childcare for many families.

Meals

There’s not much time for shopping and cooking after commuting home from work, picking up kids from childcare, and catching up on washing, ironing and other household chores. Work out how much extra you spend on dining out, home delivery and convenience meals from the supermarket than you would if you had more time to plan meals and cook.

Appearance

Think about how much you fork out on clothes for work and other expenses like make-up and dry cleaning. Some companies have strict corporate dress codes that require suits, collared shirts, ties and stockings. Other companies may provide a free uniform, which they even launder. The amount you spend depends on your profession and employer.

What’s your total?

Add up all your work related expenses. How much money do you actually make after you’ve covered tax and your other costs? If it’s a negative number you need to make changes. If you’re only breaking even or making a little bit of money it’s up to you to decide whether it’s worth it for your family.

Source: The Kochie Blog

They wield that spanner and throw it in your work with us much force as an Olympian javelin tosser.

The great thing about working from home is that you can be there for your child, there’s no boss to call, no permission needed.  But there is also nobody to cover your work.  Working from home you learn pretty quickly that if you want something done, you do it or it doesn’t happen.  And despite the fact that people sometimes think we are the majority viewership of daytime soaps and nothing else, working at home is hard work.  It can be hard to find your stride at the best of time.

When your child is home sick, you want to look after them.  Most of the time I’m quietly freaking out.  Is that colour normal?  Do we need antibiotics?  Oh my gosh, is that a fever!!   I admit that I’m that mother who always thinks the worst.  I’ve watched too much Grey’s Anatomy and far too much House, and too often I have trawled Google Medicine in search of the mysterious affliction.

Initially it’s the paranoia that gets me.  My child is dying; I don’t have time to focus on work! In the early days of motherhood, I was an inch from having our GP on speed dial.  Once this stage passes, I often realise that my child is suffering from an entirely non-fatal form of the flu.  Deadly?  No. Needy?  Yes.

‘Muuuuuuuuummy’, they call from their kingdom of blankets on the couch.  It’s like they know that you’ve just begun to be productive.  What is it now?  More tissues?  Maybe they need some Vicks Vapour Rub?  I’ll inevitably spend an hour trying to convince them to suck on Soothers with Echinacea, rather than Butter Menthol which they eat like candy.

As the tissue pile grows, my email inbox grows.  I just can’t find a rhythm.

I realise how much I need those hours of solitude during school hours, the quiet calm of an empty house, interrupted only by the telephone and door knockers.

Perhaps it sounds terribly callous to be whinging about my child being sick when they are the one suffering from the runny nose, the sore throat and the headache.  It’s mostly because I just want to be with them, I want to be on the couch with them, in a dressing gown, sipping tea and watching mindless telly.  My attention is so divided!  My child is sick and they need me, but I have so much to do.  Clients counting on me, emails to respond too and deadlines to meet.  No one is going to do it but me.

It is days like this that the work/life balance is thrown and I’m left in a bit of a mess.  Usually after some Vicks, some Panadol and antibiotics my child is good as new and off to school, and I get on with my work.

Perhaps sometimes it’s actually good for me; a reminder to slow down and remember that family always comes first, no matter what.

How do you manage and cope when you have sick kids and you work from an office? Join the discussion.

Sometimes, when I’m at home enjoying a tiny respite from the onslaught of responsibility that is my life, I ponder what it would be like to be a princess. It’s true. Isn’t it shameful?

These bouts of romanticism usually flare up when I am stressed out on a deadline and have been wearing slippers all day. I accidently oversleep, and wake up to a raging child with energy levels I would kill for. I feed her,  clothe her and do the pre-school run, all while wearing my fluffy slippers. I then return home to a literal and metaphorical mountain of work. These are the days I’m susceptible to these sappy bouts of romanticism. They’re only occasional, it’s not like they get a lot of airtime in my brain, but recently they’ve been appearing with alarming frequency, and it’s clear why; The Royal Wedding.

Ah, the Royal Wedding. A world event that draws out the gushy romantic in all of us; even those serious folk at the newspapers are willing to dedicate pages and columns to it. Who’s invited!? Where’s the honeymoon?! What’s her dress going to be like? Empire, princess or strapless?! Will there be an 800 metre train like Princess Diana’s?!

No, these questions don’t keep me up at night. I’m not hung up on the details. Please, I’m a successful woman with a beautiful family; I don’t get hung up on such things. Right? Wrong. Sort of.

It’s the romance that gets me. It’s childish, and I know I’m probably aggravating a few feminists out there, but wouldn’t it be so easy to be a princess? I mean really, you are royalty. No one would ever mess up you’re morning coffee. The cat would never relieve herself anywhere but the litter tray. You’re kids would never be late for school. You’d never have dissatisfied clients. Everyone would be satisfied, all the time, because you’re a princess. And ok, I love my husband dearly, but would it kill him to ride around on a horse once in a while?

After I dwell on this silliness for a while, I come back down to earth. I make myself another cup of tea, suck it up, and mosey into the office where my work day begins and by the end of a productive day, I feel the rush of satisfaction that comes from a fruitful day of work.

I pick up my daughter, and listen to her stories. I fret about what to make for dinner, but I inevitably find something to whip up. My husband comes home and we talk about our days. I inevitably realise that I am very lucky, and for a while my princess envy is well forgotten.

Maybe there is even a princess somewhere keen for my lot in life? Maybe not. Either way, I’m happy.

Working parents expecting a baby can now lodge their claims for Paid Parental Leave. For many working parents, including casual and part-time workers, contractors and the self-employed, this will be the first time they will have access to paid parental leave.

The Gillard Government’s Paid Parental Leave scheme provides eligible working parents of babies born or adopted from 1 January 2011 with parental leave pay for up to 18 weeks at the minimum wage (currently $570 a week before tax).

Australian parents can lodge their claims up to three months before their baby’s due date.

To help parents get all their paperwork done before the birth of their child, claims for Family Tax Benefit and Maternity Immunisation Allowance can also be lodged early, using a combined claim form with Paid Parental Leave.

Eligible expectant parents are encouraged to apply at www.familyassist.gov.au.

Application forms are also available at Family Assistance Offices located in Medicare Australia and Centrelink offices or by calling 13 6150.

Before lodging their claim, parents should plan their caring and leave arrangements and discuss these with their employer.

Parents who are not eligible for Paid Parental Leave, or who choose not to participate in the scheme, will be able to continue to access the Baby Bonus and Family Tax Benefit if they are eligible.

In addition to delivering Australia’s first Paid Parental Leave scheme, the Gillard Government has committed to introducing two weeks paid paternity leave from 1 July 2012.

Source: Australian Women Online

It was Dr. Anthony P. Witham who once said “children spell love…T-I-M-E.” He was definitely onto something. Unfortunately, if you are like most parents, time is a precious commodity that often eludes us. Whether we have a new job, a new baby, or we just need to make the coffee or strip the beds, we always seem to be wishing for more time. We need more. We want more. But we feel we just don’t have it. Does that mean we don’t love them? Of course not.

Spending quality time with our children is extremely important for their development and happiness. I have interviewed thousands of children around the world and they told me that time spent with them doesn’t need to be elaborate or long, but it must be “quality”. We must find ways then to slow down and slip in some memorable time that will let our children know that we love and care for them.

Many children will let you know in their own “subtle” ways if they feel that you are not giving them the attention that they need. Some will withdraw while others will “act out.” You might see it when a child gives “lip” to a teacher, fights with another classmate or resorts back to behaviors that once got your attention like increased crying, throwing tantrums or even bed-wetting. This is a way to capture your attention, albeit often negative, so that they can enjoy “focused” time with you. Essentially the thought process is, “if I can’t get her attention by doing something good, I’ll get her attention by doing something bad.” Nobody wants that!
So how can you find time when you feel you don’t have any to spend?

1. One-on-one time: Alone time with your child is best when you are doing something you both enjoy. With one family it may be the time when Dad takes the baby so Mom can spend time with the older child. This could mean going to a movie, going to the local theater to see Cinderella, or just sitting at the park on a bench and talking. The frequency of one-on-one time is up to you, but the children I interviewed said at least once a month is the minimum. If you are a single mother with more than one child you could arrange it so that each Saturday you spend quality time with one of your children and the last Saturday of the month you spend quality time as a family.

Marking your dates down on a calendar is a great idea and shows your children you make this time a priority.

2. Integrate Together Time into Your Daily Schedule: Children love to help. Do you have a mailing to do? Have them put the stamps on the envelopes. Need to go shopping? Make grocery shopping “fun time” with you. Need to make dinner? Let them help you by contributing to the preparation process. While it might be messier and it may time more time in the beginning, you will see that the children will become your greatest helpers and they will look back and remember that “before dinner” was always special time with you.

3. Phantom Time: Don’t have a moment to spare until about 3 a.m.? You can still let your children know that you care. Write notes and drop them into their lunch boxes. This was one of the top ten things children told me made them feel loved and cared for by their parent. Other ideas would be to record a short video for them using a camera and leaving it for them at the breakfast table. Be creative here!

4. Break time: Everyone is busy. Some parents are busier than others. Slide in a “break time” so that you and your children can spend 15 minutes or a half hour together. Set a timer if you need to so that everyone knows when “break time” starts and finishes. Give warnings to your children when 2 minutes are left so that it doesn’t come as a surprise. Don’t even have break time available? Wake your child up 15 minutes early so that you can spend a little extra time doing something fun in the morning. You might not think that 15 minutes is any significant time at all, but to a child, it is 15 extra minutes with you.

Spending time with your children provides them with opportunities to learn and to be heard. Most of all, it provides you and your children with time to connect. It’s these connections that make your children feel loved. So leave the beds unstripped for another few minutes and put the coffee on an automatic timer. Take those extra moments to spend with your children. When you look back, you will be thankful for the memories.

Source: Lifehack

Dad giving up work to look after the baby?  Sound like a myth?

I ran a few posts in parenting forums recently and it would seem it’s happening more and more as ambitious mothers want to return to work.

The statistics: A CareforKids.com.au survey found just under 10 per cent of Dads were full time, stay at home Dads; 16 per cent are working at home either full time or part time and therefore contribute much more to the day to day parenting tasks; 35 per cent of families have both parents working or studying full time.

And some background: Lots of new mums feel a sense of loss for their ‘corporate’ self after baby has arrived. Think about it, before bub arrived, some people were consumed by the 9-5 (or 8-6!) routine. They dreamt of work, couldn’t sleep because of work and then woke up thinking of work. Now please don’t get me wrong here – I know we all have a life too but our job gave us direction, a track to run on, to have goals and a sense of achievement.

In my experience, now our baby is here, brand new mothers do not have the desire or capacity in our brain’s hard drive to be so consumed by work. Instead we opt to allocate times of the day and week to allow us to indulge in multitasking (see previous blog posts!). After a few months the fog does clear and work does become a dinner table topic once again as mothers consider their options for returning to work.

So when the discussion of returning to work arises, what about dad staying at home? I am a new mum, but I still “heart’ my job!

When my husband and I had the discussion around returning to work and getting back to earning double dollars the challenging conversation around childcare popped up.  You know the one…do you have to go into the office?  Do we have to leave him? Who can care for him like we do? We felt guilty, torn and could not imagine handing him over to anyone. With our family in the UK, ‘grand-parenting’ was not an option for us.

So I ran a few posts in parenting forums and got these responses/comments:

• Mum works from home, goes into the office as required and arranges occasional care (neighbour, friend)
• Mum leaves kids with grandparents (if around)
• Dad does a four day week allowing mum one day in the office
• Dad is a full time SAHD (stay at home dad)
• Dad is a part time WAHD (work at home dad)
• Both parents work part time
• Family day care is a comfortable first step
• Childcare Centres help integrate you into the ‘system’
• Nannies were hired after mothers’ groups teamed up to share the care of their kids
• Start a work from home job

I was comforted to see that I was not the only one with this heart-wrenching dilemma.

So after a lot of thought and a bit of negotiation we have come up with a solution that suits us, allows us to work, earn money and enjoy our baby.  I am reminded by strangers “you never get those moments back you know!!”  But the truth is, I do need to work over and above to consistently demonstrate that this part time flexible arrangement can work. I am also lucky that I am in a role that does not warrant sitting in an office and also being distracted by my colleagues.

So with me working three days a week and dad on four, we are compromising dollars for time with our baby.

As every new parent knows the goal posts are moved just as you think you are on top of things, so I am expecting things to need to be reviewed and often, but for now, it works!

(Image Devine in the Daily)