When your kid asks why you have to go to work...

thismuch · September 2013

When your kid asks why you have to go to work, what is your response?

Nechie122 · September 2013

To make money!

honeybee111 · September 2013

Daddy and Mommy go to work so we can have money to buy things. I usually give examples of stuff she can understand like food, clothes, shoes, toys, etc.

honkytonk_kid · September 2013

I really don't like the idea of telling kids it's to make money. I can see that really backfiring with a sensitive kid (like I was), with the kid thinking on a rough day "well, I would rather stay home with mommy today and not have X." I just don't like teaching the idea that work is just about money, I want him to try and find a career that means something to him. The reality is that many people are stuck doing things they hate to pay the bills, but he doesn't have to know that yet

H is in IT, we'll say he fixes people's computers. I'm a nurse, I'll tell him I take care of sick people. Or that I help mommies and babies learn to breastfeed, as I'm hoping to move to lactation consulting soon! He's not at the stage of asking yet, though- I'm pretty sure he thinks I eat cake and chat with the unit secretary all day, as that's what he sees every time he has come to work with me for parties, showers, etc

emberlee3 · September 2013

I tell DS that I need to take care of sick people. He now asks me, "What are their names?" How do I explain HIPPA to a 4 year old?

Kmartinrvt13 · September 2013

I can't wait for DD to ask so I can tell her I take care of sick puppies and kitties and everything else to help them feel better to go back and play with their kids like our cats play with her

and I love my job so it's easier to explain!!

financialdiva · September 2013

I tell him bc that is what adults do. Kids go to school, mommy and daddy's go to work.

hst · September 2013

I say "That's what adults do" but then I quote Daniel Tiger "Grown ups come back!"

MNgirl326 · September 2013

I tell him so that we can buy things like food and clothes and toys.

I also tell him its my job, moms and dads go to work, while kids go to school.

He has never questioned it more then that.

ss+el · September 2013

I tell him it's so I can earn money to pay for our house.

jewels1199 · September 2013

I tell DS that its so I can take care of sick people. I also tell him that kids go to school and mommys and daddys go to work, thats just what we do

NicoleWI · September 2013

I tell them that it's so I can make money to help pay for things we need and want, but also so that I can help people. I say I work to help people who don't have enough food, or can't get a job, or whose kids don't have any books at home...that type of thing. I work in fundraising for a non-profit.

I don't want them to think it's only about making money. I also think it's kind of weird to say, "that's what adults do," b/c what about stay-at-home parents, students, seniors, part-time workers, etc?? Lots of adults DON'T go to work everyday, and/or work in different ways that may not seem like what your kid thinks of as going to work.

KL777 · September 2013

So that we can eat and have a place to live. He's also been to my job and stayed there during a slow period for a half day, so he knows where I am when he's in school.

LoCarb · September 2013

I say to make money to buy things and list examples; necessities and material items.

Also, like others, grown-ups work and kids go to school. The question is then asked why does she have to go to school.

mae0111 · September 2013

NicoleWI said:

I tell them that it's so I can make money to help pay for things we need and want, but also so that I can help people. I say I work to help people who don't have enough food, or can't get a job, or whose kids don't have any books at home...that type of thing. I work in fundraising for a non-profit.

I don't want them to think it's only about making money. I also think it's kind of weird to say, "that's what adults do," b/c what about stay-at-home parents, students, seniors, part-time workers, etc?? Lots of adults DON'T go to work everyday, and/or work in different ways that may not seem like what your kid thinks of as going to work.

This. Many of my friends are SAHMs, and DD1 knows it. She will ask adults at the park, "Are you a mommy or a nanny?" I tell her I work so that we can do fun things like go to the zoo, or go to gymnastics class. It's pretty true. We're able to pay the bills on DH's salary, but most of the extras would have to stop if I decided to stay home at this point. She doesn't ask a lot, I think she just kind of accepts that it's how things are, and I also think she loves having time with our nanny.

financialdiva · September 2013

I think it's kind of weird to over think this. 8-|

Bella427 · September 2013

I'm in a helping profession to I just tell her I work because I like to help people. As she's gotten older I've also told her that b/c I work we have money to pay for her college and for fun vacations, etc.

C12H22O11 · September 2013

Because Mommy worked her ass off at college for 6 years for 2 degrees, and sure as hell isn't going to let that go to waste. Plus, she realized during maternity leave that being a SAHM would drive her bonkers. LOL

In all seriousness, I think the one time DS asked me this I told him it was so we could have money to have a nice house, do fun things, and take trips. More often, he asks me why he has to go to school...

laurakaz13 · September 2013

I tell her that mommy and daddy go to work each day and she goes to school to have fun with her friends.

I also say that we'll be picking her up after school and she'll come home and have more fun with mommy and daddy.

traveltheworld · September 2013

DS is 14 months so hasn't asked me that yet, but when my niece asked me that, I told her it was because I like going to work and I like learning new things, just like how she likes going to pre-school to learn new things. I also told her that I'm really good at something that can help people so I like doing that. I know the "helping people" one may be a bit of a stretch since I'm a corporate lawyer, but I choose to think that I'm indeed helping the world in a tiny way by moving the economy along, LOL.

mrskelly731 · September 2013

DD has not asked this but my first repsonse to the OP was 'because I like to go to work, just like you like to go to daycare'

I agree that this should not be something to think too hard about.

dizzycooks · September 2013

I can't imagine her asking this question. I tell her today she gets to go to daycare and play with her friends while mama goes to work. I suppose I would tell her that I need to go teach kids while she is at her own school/daycare. She knows daddy leaves everyday and she knows when it's time to go get him, not once during the day has she asked me 'where's dada?'.

SoMoNY · September 2013

Because all these toys aren't free

drcolleen · September 2013

I feel horribly guilty when DD1 asks this. I tell her I have people to take care of, she prefers that I answer that I have babies to take care of, don't think she cares that I see adults too! I used to tuck her in and say "see you tomorrow" but then found if I was on call sometimes that was a lie so I started telling her that I'll be on call the next day and if someone is sick or needs helping having a baby I won't be coming home but I'll be certain to call her to tell her what I'm doing..... she has my old flip phone so I tend to call on the way home or if I'm not coming home. She does beg me to come to work when I round on the weekends, so she's come twice when I was peds not adult call and only had a few patients -- she sat on L&D in the nurses station while I round on the newborns and loved it.

northtamarack · September 2013

I tell DS because "I am good at what I do". Then he asks "why?" again because he is 2 and in that phase :-)

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