Musing on a Monday {Grandparent tax}

For the last four days we had a little glimpse into life with Grandparents on the doorstep. A little tease at the benefits, the most obvious being childcare - we saved £44 in just two days with their presence on the school run thus avoiding breakfast and after school clubs. We, that's me and the husband, actually managed a night out at the pub together. Which was lovely. Despite the 24 hours I needed the next day to recuperate but hey, the Grandparents were here! Unfortunately, this is a luxury for us and we see little of the Grandparents due to a combination of distance - Norfolk is pushing it for childcare and France is just taking the p***. They are clearly not local so we don't get the help and support that often. Sometimes this gets me down. 

But, I've been thinking and I may have an answer. Well, a financial one. I have a suggestion for our trusted politicians. I haven't put much thought into the logistics and fairness of it but I think that's how politics works.

Here it is....

A GRANDPARENT TAX BREAK

And here's how it works...

If you have no Grandparents in a 30 mile radius of your home then you are entitled to a tax break to compensate your childcare outgoings as a result of the Grandparents not being able to help out. To fund this all you lucky souls with Grandparents on the doorstep get taxed more!

There you go.
That's fair isn't it?!
I'm sure there are some flaws and it clearly doesn't make up for the emotional crap of not having family nearby but it could soften the blow.



What do you think? Could this work?!

x x x

Image found here

Musing on a Monday {just me}

Today has been the first Monday in a long time that I have looked forward to. I cannot remember the last time I had a Monday quite like it. It's been a long while coming, what with having children and stuff, but now the wait is over. I now have Mondays - and Tuesdays - to myself. No work. No children. Just me and the house.

Today that meant doing the school run - which I haven't done for over a year, shredding - I'm back on that and loving it, and being able to do my new fitness interest, yoga, in peace. FYI: Yoga is not beneficial when you have a seven year old hollering from her bed at night or chewing a carrot in your year and trying to be helpful with 'encouraging' words as you bend your body in ways that it hasn't been in since doing gymnastics at Junior School.

This, by the way, is my current personal goal...

I would really love to do an Introduction to Yoga course but I'm watching the pennies at the moment so instead am having a go at Erin Motz' 30 Day Yoga Challenge on good old YouTube. She is so lovely and calming and I feel all gooey at the end of each session, which has to be a good thing right? Anyway, I digress...

Mondays...Mondays are so different now, in a good way. I'm really hoping that working part time across three days, rather than five, will sort out the whole work/life balance thing that we are all desperately trying to find. I want to use my two days to do the things I want to do - yes, there will be the household chores and projects that need doing but it will be in my time rather than taking it out of weekend time. I want to be more available on a weekend now so I plan to shut work completely away and focus on the kiddies and family life knowing that I have my time at the beginning of each week. Financially, I should really be working full time but in reality that would break me - that may sound weak but I don't think I could do my job full time and be happy. I take my hat off to those that do.

So now I'm pondering, musing if you like, on making some plans. The road trip across America may have to be put on hold. But, the house needs sprucing up so I can crack open some cans of paint over the coming weeks, this blog is going to go through some changes soon and I will continue to give myself some me time. It's been seven years so I think I deserve some!

Are you finding time for yourself? Have you found the elusive work/life balance? Does it exist?!
I'd love to hear your thoughts.

x x x



The Positives of the Husband Working Away

In the coming months there are going to be some major changes in the Melksham Mum household. After months of discussions, indecisions and changing his mind (about a 100 times) the husband has decided to stay in employment and work near Birmingham for 3 days a week. The alternative was redundancy - Gah! It would have been quite a nice payout that would have kept us going for about 8 months if necessary but a gamble nonetheless. Also, his line of work is very specialised so I am happy that he has chosen not to take the risk - and selfishly it also means I don't have to find permanent work yet and can persue some supply work.

A while ago I was getting my knickers in a real twist over this. We had made the decision not to move up there in the foreseeable future so it will be just me and the kiddies for 3 days a week. I was stressing myself out over silly issues like How will I cope? Will I be lonely? What will I do for a car? Now I am seeing the positives!



• I can have the bed to myself for a couple of nights a week.
• I can read as late as I want without anyone moaning at me to switch the light off.
• I can tweet, blog, pin in bed!
• I can watch what I want on the television.
• I can catch up on some chick flicks.
• I can eat my favourite foods.
• I will only have two 'children' to clear up after.

Obviously there will be negatives though and these are.....

• I will have to put the bins out.

That's all I can think off at the moment! I'm sure some people would have a huge list of I will miss his company, I'll miss his cuddles in bed etc but for me I think it will actually make us appreciate each other a heck of a lot more than we do now. Yes it will be crap when he comes home extra tired and moody due to the travel and the fact he never sleeps well in hotels but I will have to learn to cut him some slack and let him have a lie in on the weekend - occasionally!

All in all the fact that a decision has been finally made has allowed me to breathe again as I was seriously secretly freaking out over all of this.

I just hope he doesn't change his mind again.

x x