Big Day!

Today is the first day our nanny/sitter starts caring for Gil. Officially, she'll be on for the full time in early February, but are bringing her in a few days this week and next so she can get acclimated to Gil and our home with Kristen together.

This signals the first real shift back to pre-Gil life; Kristen returning to work. Her business is now official. The paperwork is filed with the State, she's doing design work on her own and now she'll be a contractor for her prior design firm. Lots of good things are happening for her!

From a parent perspective, knowing the shift is coming has been - at times - hard to accept. No matter how good the care is for your child, it is not the same since you are not the person providing it. Plus, giving up the control is probably the unspoken hardest part. Maybe that is why in other countries the maternity leave is so much more extensive.

For example, in the UK it is one year. I've heard in Germany, the leave is as much as three years! And in both cases salaries are paid close to 100% for the entire length. This might not be completely accurate but regardless the US policy of 12 weeks (salary provided is optional) pales in comparison. And remember, prior to the FMLA (signed into law during the Clinton administration), there was nothing concrete. Scary, huh!