I have just begun the very frustrating process of rejoining the workforce (or at least the research part of rejoining the workforce). And it sucks. It's not that I'm weepy about going back to work (though another soul-sucking 9 to 5 doesn't necessarily send shivers of joy through me, and I do get a bit sad picturing Charlotte crying for me as I sneak out the door) but it's so freaking complicated now that we have two children.
Where do I even begin? The chicken (job) or the egg (childcare)?
I'm looking at places to apply (Webster University and WashU are the two obvious choices since I've worked in education for the last decade) while at the same time looking into daycare. Y'all? Daycare is EXPENSIVE. One place wants $1900 per month for Charlotte alone. Nineteen hundred a month. Paycheck? What paycheck would I have left!? Most will cost around $1300 a month for Charlotte and then I'll have to pay another $900 or so a month for Claire. That, of course, means I'll have to take Claire out of the preschool she LOVES and is firmly attached to (after leaving Nashville and her Vanderbilt daycare which she cried about for weeks, I'm hesitant to switch her world up again) since it's only an 8:00 - 2:30 program.
What do I do? How did you do it, working parents?
Do I find a job first, then ask them to wait for a few weeks (or more depending on how long childcare wait lists are) until I figure out childcare? Would they even do that for me? Or do I find daycare first (paying the $150 application fee PER CHILD) without knowing where (or when) I will find a job!? And how do I afford childcare once I'm working? The whole point of going back to work is that we need more money!
Agghhhh!
Now I see why so many parents chose to stay home after having a second child. But we can't afford it! Renting a house here is expensive (more than my mortgage in Nashville cost by $300), we're both paying off college/grad school loans, we have a car payment, gas and electricity aren't cheap, and we refuse to live on Hamburger Helper!
Advice? Anyone?
LinkWithin
Posts
6 comments:
Girl, I wonder if this might be the time to start marketing YOURSELF and your photography?? Maybe start with trying to figure out how much more you guys need to get by and look for something part time to supplement? My friend was able to find a lady from her church who watches her little one while she works part time and her other little one is in preK. Her part time lady is waaaaay cheaper than an institution day care and much more flexible. She's more of a babysitter/nanny. Is that something that might be possible?? I guess it depends on just how much more you guys need to supplement Huz's current income. Anyway...something to think about anyway???
I was going to say the same/similar thing to Bean. What about a part time gig- that's flexible and perhaps you could co-op or share childcare with another mom who needs the same thing? Maybe a job share with someone? Maybe it's taking in another kid for someone who needs it for a little cash? I did it for a bit before going back to work full time and it wasn't as bad as I had originally thought. The kids entertain themselves a bit, enjoy the novelty. The ticket is a double stroller!
I don't have kids, so I don't have advice on childcare, but I've done of odd jobbing.
Maybe you could find some sort of freelance/work at home job? I've been a freelance photographer/writer/creative for 5 years and have earned $ a myriad of ways: freelance jobs I've done at home, part time contract work on site at companies, photo shoots at night & on the weekends- all of those things might work for folks that are parents. My biggest contract gig was contract for a couple of years, then they hired me part time, and they're getting ready to offer me a full time opportunity- maybe you can find something like that, work part time while the kids are little and move into full time when they are older. This same company has a lot of work at home positions too, which many companies are doing now in the digital age.
I've made a pretty successful living doing several part time things like that, so maybe that can work for you! Good luck!
We have the same issue. I don't make enough money to even pay for daycare for 2 kids. It totally sucks. I work part time only though. What I do is try and do as many freelance jobs on the side that I can (I'm a graphic designer). But it definetly costs us more money for me to work.
So, it sounds like y'all need to figure out how much more money you need and what % of your paycheck you're willing to give up to daycare before it's all a moot point. We spend about $1600 a month for both girls but after our flexible spending reimbursements, that's just over 50% of my husband's salary. So both of us working is justifiable. Plus, our oldest starts kindergarten in the fall (ack!) and we'll get a bit of a price break then.
I think part time is the way to go if you can swing in. Then find somewhere to take Charlotte for a time each day and Ms. Claire can stay at her preschool.
Thank you all for you advice. I am going to try to go out on a limb and see what I can do with my photography (eeps!) and may combine it with some pt work.
Post a Comment