Since it seems there hasn't been much from Aaron and I lately, her goes a post dedicated to what I have been feeling. So Aaron and I have been talking lately...about home much life has changed...something I am sure that all new parents struggle with. I just wish there were more time in the day! I would love to go to the gym more, I would love to be able to read a book or my magazine subscriptions. That being said, I HATE only seeing Kendall for 2-3 hours on an average work day! I leave for work before she is even up at 6:30 a.m. and then return home at 5:30 p.m. and have two hours or so before it is time for the bedtime routine. I don't even like to think about all the things I miss.
Now don't get me wrong...I am so thankful that I have my sister Erin here with us taking care of her. I don't have to deal with waking Kendall up from her peaceful morning slumber to cart her off to daycare...thank God (and Erin) for that! I also don't have to worry about how well she is being taken care of. So believe me, I know how lucky I am! When I think about next school year when Erin is gone, I nearly have an anxiety attack. I have already started trying to convince her to stay, but I know that isn't fair for her, slightly unrealistic, and that Aaron and I need to learn to function as a family unit.
Needless to say, I have been thinking a lot about our options...should one of us just stay home with Kendall? I would in a second if we could afford it. But we could more realistically live on my salary, so I have spent the last few weeks trying to convince Aaron to stay home with Kendall. But, can we afford even this...will we be miserable, will we regret it? I don't think so...it is a sacrifice that I think is worth making. Couple these thoughts with the current state of the economy and I know there are those of you out there thinking, "they should be lucky that they even have jobs!" Is it wrong to think one of us will be laid off so that the decision is made for us? Blasphemy I know!
I know in the end it is a personal decision. And at least for the time being I have convinced Aaron to try to live on one income for the next few months to see how it goes. So, wish us luck. We may be poorer, but I think we can make it work!
2 comments:
This is what you do: take Aaron's net salary for a month. Subtract the cost of day care for a month. Divide by the number of hours he works in a month. That is his hourly wage for working. Is it worth it to put up with what he puts up with for that $/hour? And to have Kendall raised by strangers (albeit loving, well paid and not-strangers-for-long of course?) My guess is no. I can't see you EVER regretting the decision to stay home with her. Give it a year. Aaron could probably even apply for a "leave of absence" for a semester or even a full year to give it a try. Check into it.
Praying for you guys!
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