@celcious100 - the contribution you miss out on, is the family day care rebate, which is 50% of daycare costs. We don't get it, but have structured our lives around not having it. Sadly we can't share this with enough people, as the system bullies people into doing it out of fear. The Australian Government even had the most shocking tagline when they made this change, "No Jab No Pay" policy. You just have to laugh.