Well, much as I support "the programs" (WIC, Medicaid, Food Stamps, AFDC,
etc.), I don't think that they were EVER designed too help mothers stay home
and mother their children. I think they were designed to put food and
medical care and basic shelter necessities in the hands of those who
desperately need them.

I used to be a welfare mom, getting every "service" there was available, and
even in that position I never, *ever* thought that there was the slightest
interest on anyone's part in enabling me to stay home and care for them the
way they "should" be mothered. I was grateful for the money that allowed my
son's broken arm to be fixed, and my children to have something more to eat
than oatmeal and canned peaches - not to mention the prenatal care and C/S
delivery that helped me to give birth to my fat, utterly healthy and
undeniably beautiful twins (total combined weight at birth = 17 lbs. 2
oz.!). It was also "the programs" that enabled me to return to nursing
school when they were 2 years old & my son was 6, paying for their day care
so that I could complete my nursing degree, earn a living to support my
family & get us off "the system", and ultimately do what I do now. I think
that was worth a few tax dollars, and I'm glad to pay my taxes in support of
other families who need help getting their kids fed and cared for.

But they sure aren't there to enable women to be better mothers! (Unless
"better mothers" is defined as mothers able to support their families
financially as well as in all the ways we "support" our children as mothers,
whether we're working full-time, living on welfare, or fortunate enough to
be able to "stay at home" full-time). Should they be? Well, that's a whole
'nother discussion! Seems to me like such a program could/should be
developed, but that's not what the ones we have now do. Talk to your
legislators!

Cathy Bargar, RN, IBCLC Ithaca NY

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