Frustrated with circumstances

[Happily Blessed]

Dh and I made a deal several years ago that if we moved to Texas, I would not have to work outside the home.  I could be a stay at home mom.  So we have been here a year.  I got a babysitting job but it didn't work out because of the parents - the nicest thing I will post is that we have different parenting styles, I hate to bag on people and there were reasons behind it.  So then I got another little girl to babysit for and was supposed to babysit her brother when he was born in September.  The Daddy lost his job and now I am not needed. 

I recently started to be a Independent Pampered Chef Consultant and yet to have my first show, which will be in December. 

All of the jobs that are part time I am overqualified for.  The job I do want, I do not have the required certification for, even though I have 10 years of experience. 

Dh is all over the fact that I have not gotten a job yet and that I am making every excuse not to work outside the home.  I told him I wasn't making excuses, I just am not doing it.  That was the deal. 

I have considered doing fostering just so that I can have a sibling for my son and have some income.  I hate the idea of having DS go to daycare and 3/4 of my paycheck go for daycare. 

But without a babysitting job or something extra, we are not able to make ends meet - I mean, we can pay our bills but wouldn't have money for food and gas.  Any ideas of what to do?  I really am praying that the Pampered Chef will take off so that I can remain a SAHM. 

[Vancouver Mommy]

Yeah, I'm in a similar situation - I really don't want to work. Have tried childcare, but don't want to do it again. My preference is to wait till my youngest starts kindy next year, but we just bought our first house and could use some extra income to cover the "extras". I am also interested in checking out Pampered Chef, but my network of people is not that broad.

I would not think fostering is the sort of thing one does for extra cash (at least I hope not). It would be a huge responsibility and IMO should not be done as a means to an end. Have you considered taking in a foreign student? Are you in a town with a university or college? That would bring in some extra cash and would be a shorter term commitment (and less disruptive to your family).

[Imakcerka]

Actually fostering wouldn't be a bad thing.  If you could do it.  The income isn't great but the impact you can have on a child who needs a stable home is awesome.  However if you do it for just the money then there is something wrong.  You would need to be doing it because you care and want to make an impact. 

We went through a few years with very little and DH stayed home.  We would love to foster, but not for the money for the ability to help some little person that really needs us.  Besides the money really just goes back to helping the kids in my mind.  My grandmother fosters and for the most part she doesn't touch the money they give her for them.  She uses it on them.  Those kids leave her house with nice new clothes full bellies and a place always open to them.  They still come back to her and most of them give back to her.  They fix up her house and once guy opened a restaurant and invites her out on the weekends to have dinner with him.  It's sweet. 

[Happily Blessed]

Well, I guess my statement did not sound right.  I would not be fostering to make an income as a job.  I forget that I haven't been on here awhile so I have to retell my story :).  We tried for 7.5 years to get my son, and we have tried since him.  We have had quite a few miscarriages and now I am 42, so no real chance to conceive naturally.  What I really want is a sibling for my son.  We would be able to do foster to adopt.  I know that the normal subsidary for fostering is usually about $500 to $600 a month.  Its not a lot of money but it would be about the same as babysitting, and I would be able to be responsible for my son and a sibling for him. 

I hope that sounds the way I mean it to.