Working to pay for daycare

[busymama77]

Anyone else in the same boat? I mean, seriously, my paycheck is devoted to $1,600 a month for 2 kids in daycare/preschool and then whatever is leftover goes to clothing, household items, and various activities for the fam. It's amazing how much of my pay is consumed for the daycare part, though. Amazing.

[lunarlady]

Most of my pay will go to child care once this bump arrives in August. But I'm working for the benefits too (health, dental, retirement). So even though it looks like I'm working for less than $300/month, it actually is much higher in terms of value to the family (if that makes sense).

[justKate]

Yep, sort of. I work to pay for my student loans ($1500/monthly minimum), daycare for one, and the housekeeper. If we could find a way to increase Huz's income by $1500/mo, we could eliminate the other expenses, but I don't see that happening... I don't even carry the insurance.

The cost of childcare is one reason I'm not ready for another baby. I just don't get how people afford it!

[madskye]

I felt like that til I quit my job three years ago...and then I realized that the extra XYZ dollars that I was clearing was really quite a bit and that I was covering other bills beyond daycare. And when it's just gone...cutting out a specialty coffee or a once in a while trip to Target really doesn't make it up, as people often suggest. I spent about six months not working before I started working PT again (30 hours a week, almost full but not quite) and I have to say--I just like the breathing a room me working gives us in our finances.

Daycare is grossly expensive though. The only thing that makes it bearable for me is that I really love and trust her school, and that makes working so much easier if you're not always secondguessing the DCP.

[busymama77]

Once we get some things paid off and DH gets a pay increase, we could possibly see me working part time in a couple of years, but until then, I do this for the DC and to continue the lifestyle we lead. Also, I get free insurance where I work and DH's plan at his work is outrageously expensive! It just amazes me that the monthly cost of DC is almost as much as our new mortgage!

[Megan73]

Daycare IS expensive but it has to be kept in mind that it IS temporary (not that after-school programs aren't pricey, too, but less so) and that we're often working for more than a paycheck - there's pension, benefits, ongoing education, advancement, seniority.
Also, I just don't see it as coming out of MY paycheck. He's our son and paying for daycare is OUR responsibility.

[GuildJenn]

Everything Megan said, plus remember you're on the grid gaining in salary, pension points, seniority and experience. But yes. At one point I was paying for daycare, car, and clothes, and it was annoying.

[MamaChicken]

DH's check is exactly covering childcare. He is building a career that will, eventually pay 2x as much. It also saves his sanity to work 2-3 days per week.

When DS1 was little, DH was a SAHD. Although it was great to have him home, we both felt like he "lost" 4 years that he could have been building his career. I think it would not be worth working in that situation if the potential for a good, stable career was not present.

FWIW, all insurance etc is through my job.

[jdg]

My salary is just going to cover the part-time nanny (husband works from home, so he'll be primary caregiver in the mornings), a car payment, and a tiny bit extra. Our health insurance does come from my work as well, and it's really good insurance.

In my case, I know I would go CRAZY as a SAHM. It's not even the tiniest bit "me", I HAVE to work to stay sane. So I will happily work to pay for child care.

[moonyoungi]

I'm a student, so it's bit different I'm sure. But I work at my kids' daycare for barter.
I clean, I tutor my DCP's daughter for math, I help after my school is done for the day. I kids go to this preschool/daycare twice a week "for free" and I also get some extra money as well from working there. And she doesn't charge me partial tuition for my kids being there while I'm working there, which is very nice of her.
I think it would be cool to have more co-op style preschool where the tuition is bit cheaper and the parents can participate once or twice a week and she/he work part time as well.

[DCMama01]

Originally Posted by jdg

My salary is just going to cover the part-time nanny (husband works from home, so he'll be primary caregiver in the mornings), a car payment, and a tiny bit extra. Our health insurance does come from my work as well, and it's really good insurance.

In my case, I know I would go CRAZY as a SAHM. It's not even the tiniest bit "me", I HAVE to work to stay sane. So I will happily work to pay for child care.

I realized during maternity leave that while I wish I stay out 6 months and then go back part time until age 1, SAH is NOT for me. I regained a bit of my sanity when I returned to the office at 4 months.

My sister is watching DD for now, but this is temporary. A biweekly paycheck will cover daycare when I put her back in.

[DariusMom]

Originally Posted by Megan73

Daycare IS expensive but it has to be kept in mind that it IS temporary (not that after-school programs aren't pricey, too, but less so) and that we're often working for more than a paycheck - there's pension, benefits, ongoing education, advancement, seniority.
Also, I just don't see it as coming out of MY paycheck. He's our son and paying for daycare is OUR responsibility.

This.

I think I cleared only about €200 a month when my DS was little (not that I believe in counting only *my* salary, as megan above stated. It came out of the family pot, but still ... . ). However, not only would I not want to be a full time SAHM, but 6 years on, I'm making 2.5x what I was making then, so it was really worth it from a financial standpoint.

[mamarhu]

I have been parenting for thirty years, nearly all of that as a single mama, and almost never had to pay for childcare. So I guess I shouldn't complain. But this summer, I will be paying $1600/mo for fulltime daycare for the Minions, ages 8 & 9. They are foster kids, so I don't have many options about who can watch them, and no, my state doesn't subsidize my child care costs. I just started my new job, and I haven't even gotten my 1st paycheck yet. I really won't see one until September!

[Leatherette]

I did not work for 6 years because my paycheck would have only covered childcare. I returned to work because I wanted to get back in the loop.

[rcr]

My paycheck just about covers the child care, but that is not counting retirement, keeping current in the job, building a career, health insurance, etc... Plus, I feel like all of those years of college would be wasted if I gave up my career now, since I would have to change careers if I quit and went back to work in the future (I am a professor).

On the other hand, I do dream of SAHM'ing a lot. I am jeallous of my babysitter because she gets to do so much fun stuff with DS, while I work to pay her to do it.

[Mirichka]

So I am going back to teaching for three hours in the afternoons so that I can start going back to school to take my prereqs for nursing school (my dream is to be a midwife, and a school/camp nurse while my kids are growing up). I am really nervous about taking this job I am not that excited about, but I will need to pay for childcare so I can take the classes I need to and for time to study....