While spending as much time as possible with your little child is the greatest thing for both him or her and you, is the mom career right for you? Moreover, how will it affect your family from a financial point of view?
There is no doubt that once you become a mother, everything changes. You need time to adjust to your new status and with the new living being that depends on you completely. You need to learn how to use new things, just like a person with disabilities needs to learn how to use a handicap toilet, for example.
Your schedule and whole way of life are also going to change. In this sense, it is normal for you to take time away from your job and attend to your baby’s needs, and yours as well. Moreover, in the first months of their lives, babies go through so many changes, so it is only natural for their mothers to be there and witness all of them.
Deciding if you should return to work after having a baby is a very tough decision, there is no doubt about it. Moreover, rising childcare costs joined with the pressure of handling both a career and a household can make new parents go a little mad when figuring out what should be done.
In order to make the best decision possible, you should think about the logistical, monetary, as well as emotional implications of going back to work or staying at home with your child.
In many situations, mothers go back to work after having a baby out of financial considerations. Losing an entire salary can hit your family’s financial situation quite hard, but you should also consider the costs generated by making this decision.
Childcare is a significant expense when you are working full-time outside the home. If you do not have a close relative or friend who can take care of your baby for free, you will lose a big chunk of your salary for this purpose. When it comes to childcare, there are a few alternatives you can choose from.
Daycare Centers cost around $972 per month for an infant or toddler care. If you go for home daycare, expect to pay about $646 per month. You can also opt for a nanny, and it will cost you somewhere in the range of $500 to $700 per week.
Of course, the costs change if there are more children involved. For example, nannies charge more than for just one child, because of the work that is involved. These costs are an average. You could pay a little less or more, depending on the region you live in and the option you decide to go for.
If you are working from home or can walk or go by bike to your workplace, you will also have commuting expenses. And you have two trips to consider: one for going to work, and one for coming home from work. If you use public transportation, you will need to keep the cost of your monthly bus or train in mind.
This could cost you anywhere between $100 and $400, or even more. If you go to your job by car, there are a few more things to consider. Gas, tolls, as well as wear and tear on your car, are all things you will have to take into account.
Then, it’s the periodical oil change and other maintenance work. In case you do not have access to free parking, it is another expense you need to think about. Your auto insurance might also be pricier because you are using your car for commuting purposes.
Staying at home also means that you can wear whatever you want. If you wear a pair of trousers for three days in a row, it is not a problem.
However, if you have to go to work, you cannot wear the same two or three pieces of clothing, so you will also have to spend some money on new clothes, shoes, and even matching accessories, depending on your office’s dress code.
From this perspective, depending on the type of job you have and how presentable you must look, you might also have to wear makeup, which is also an additional cost you should take into consideration. This is not an issue you have to deal with if you are staying at home.
From a financial perspective, going back to your job is not necessarily the best option. You might be gaining more than having no salary at all, but a large part of your income will be lost for things you do not need while staying at home.
Of course, this is only from a financial point of view. Your decision to go back to work must be made on several considerations, as we have mentioned earlier. However, after carefully analyzing all aspects, in the end, you will do what is best for you and your family.
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My niece and her partner decided that she made more money and he would stay home to take care of their daughter. One day a week she goes to her best friends home for a play date. Also my niece takes on mondays which is her day off. Also I take her several times a month. Looking at the cost this was the best plan for them.