Comment by gus_massa | Hacker News Reader

Comment by gus_massa | Hacker News Reader

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We had a 24 hours electricity outage last week. (Some problem with an electric wire in the whole block after a heavy rain). Should I buy an electricity generator just in case?

I expect to be able to send the kids to school, perhaps at least a few hours per day. It is impossible now.

An in case the school is not working, I can send them with one of the grandmas or the other. But we are currently in the peak of the pandemic in Buenos Aires and it is a bad idea because they are old so they are in the health risk group. I think it is even illegal here due to the quarantine, but it is a bad idea anyway.

We take turns with my wife to take care of the kids and try to organize the activities, for example to avoid having two Zoom meetings at the same time.

Luckily we can arrange some activities to do them when the kids are sleeping or at least quiet, like preparing / checking / grading midterms at weird hour like 11pm.

One of the problems is that in the middle of a Zoom meeting one of the kids may appear and say hi, or ask to change the tv channel, or perhaps some food, or just hug me for 5 minutes. Luckily in most of my meetings I don't need a 100% of concentration, so a kid going around is not so bad.

What do parents do during the summer or before public schooling starts? I've always heard controversy about parental leave, but why haven't I heard as much controversy about parents spending less time at work when their children are very young or during the summer?

They pay for child care (daycare, summer camps, nannies) or use free child care (family, friends).

Glad to hear you're taking responsibility for your life choices in this time of hardship. But... that's what you signed up for when you made the decision to have a child.

I guess the question is: Do you believe that you should receive benefits above and beyond those of childless adults because of your life choices? That the act of becoming a parent is so sacred it should grant you benefits in otherwise unrelated areas of your life?

Yes because those of us who chose to have kids signed onto a social contract. We pay the 300-500k for raising a kid and the government covers basic schooling And child care from 5-18 so we don’t have to double that. Well the government pulled out of their end so now everyone is overloaded. Moreover even private options are overloaded so the system just broke entirely. Employers are cutting parents a break because they still want them around when the system works again. These people have nothing more left to give in terms of free time.

Everything you do depends on the services of other people, which depends on a somewhat stable birthrate. As you grow old and sick, the children of the people receiving "benefits above and beyond those of childless adults" is the only thing between you and a lonely, early grave. You honestly don't understand that?

We have a saying here: "Today for you, tomorrow for me." I'm not sure how is the best translation.

I have a few teacher assistants in the university, and when possible we try to cover each other and keep the class going. Some problems are not related to kids.

* When the parents die, sometimes you must go all the previous week to the hospital. Or in a better scenario, you have to help your parents to go to the doctor.

* Some unexpected or chronic health problems. Sometimes small changes in the actives distribution can help.

* Problems with the car, for example after a small crash you must take the car to the official mechanics of the insurance.

* One of the water pipes is leaking and it is "raining" in the apartment bellow. The plumber promised to arrive in an hour...

* A trip to a conference or a similar event.

> We have a saying here: "Today for you, tomorrow for me."

It sounds most likely to be 'reciprocity', but could also be evoking either the notion of 'reaping what you sow' or the notion of 'paying it forward'

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