Our timeline is full of people telling us that having a child is a lifestyle choice and we should just suck it up. One man was so outraged with us stating what we had paid on childcare costs he said I make him sick (or rather ‘ you people!!’) - expecting the tax payer to scoop up the cost for the care of my child. I would understand this argument if it was my dog, or a pet Iguana. I chose to get an iguana and so I should really be solely responsible for its care. But the thing is, the iguana won’t grow up to become our future workforce, it won’t contribute to your pension or wipe your bum when your old and wrinkly. I am yet to meet an iguana that could do any of those things. Childcare is early education, it’s not babysitting. We would be furious at the notion that kids had to pay to go to school because we understand that educating our kids benefits us all. The first 1001 days of a child’s life are the most important to their future yet we give families such little support during this time. And then, of course, there’s the work thing. You can’t leave a baby at home whilst you trot off to work. We expect mothers to work, we live in a society where the majority of households need two incomes to survive, yet we simultaneously make it almost impossible for many mothers to work. All we are asking for is the infrastructure to enable us to financially contribute to both our family & the economy.. which could be really bloody helpful during a skills crisis and a cost of living crisis. It’s not blooming rocket science is it?! So @rishisunakmp are you listening to us?! We know you’re ambitious, but will you be ambitious for women too?! On Saturday we will be marching through the streets to demand our voices are heard!! #marchofthemummies #childcare