How do lower middle class handle childcare?

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following Log in

Join Now

| | | | |

Forum -> Household Management -> Finances

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

amother

Mon, Mar 20 2023, 11:01 am

I grew up barely above poverty and my mom didn't work. She was a full SAHM. We didn't have money and my parents were always stressed about making rent and car payments, and we didn't have any extras, but childcare was never an issue. My mom took us to school, picked us up, kept us home if we were sick, school vacations posed no problems, so at least that.

My cousins family was upper middle class/well off and had a full time live in nanny. Both parents worked.

How do people in the middle do it? I only have 1 kid and I put her in daycare, but I'm wondering how in the world am I supposed to handle school vacations? Sicknesses? It seems impossible. We can't afford a full time nanny, and I'm literally considering quitting work and being a SAHM living in/just above poverty because I can't figure the childcare out...

mha3484

Mon, Mar 20 2023, 11:12 am

Most of my friends have one more rigid schedule and one more flexible unless they are at the income bracket to hire a nanny. Also since covid a lot more jobs can be done from home if your employer is willing to work with you. A lot of people work for the schools and have access to the staff daycare too. But I live in a community where the schools dont really expect both parents to work two full time super rigid jobs. They work with parents on tuition. Overall the days off are not excessive. Most families I know make it work on 1 full time job and 1 part time/3/4 time job.

amother

NeonPurple

Mon, Mar 20 2023, 11:14 am

It is a challenge. Once they're in school it gets easier. Before that you really depend on your babysitter and get to know a few girls who you pay nicely to fill in if you need to leave early or come home late. If you live near family that is able to help that can really ease the burden but many people dont and still make it work. Usually one parent has a more flexible job where they can come late or leave early on occasion or work at home or bring a child to work if need be. Not ideal for child or parent by bills need to be payed.

amother

Green

Mon, Mar 20 2023, 3:06 pm

It’s a disaster. One of us takes off work if the kids are sick. I usually do the first day and he does the second and we hope there’s no third. If we lived near my parents, my mother would take the sick kid but unfortunately we don’t live nearby.

My question is how people who work in Lakewood figure out childcare. Private babysitters have terrible hours that don’t accommodate anyone who isn’t on a kollel schedule and daycares are astronomically expensive!

amother

Apple

Mon, Mar 20 2023, 3:09 pm

One spouse needs to be more flexible. Both dh and I are sort of flexible in the sense that we can take a kid with us/work from home.

amother

Moccasin

Mon, Mar 20 2023, 3:10 pm

B”H since Covid things got easier where we now have more flexibility working remotely . I work remotely on those days. I also take a loss some days and send my kids to fun school/ Pre Pesach school etc .

amother

Amaranthus

Mon, Mar 20 2023, 3:42 pm

My mom and dad are both business owners so they were quite flexible. I'm not the oldest, I don't know what they did when they were employees.

Dh is flexible for emergencies. He doesn't stay home for sick kids, days off etc. We've been making it work so far, oldest is 4. Half days of school sometimes my siblings helped me. Between school and camp is the hardest. Program one year, maternity leave another. Sometimes calling in favor for 1 day, taking child to work, putting in hours in evening.

It's gets Very hard. Bh my schools don't give very many days off.

chocolate moose

Mon, Mar 20 2023, 7:48 pm

I took my vacation time when the kids were off or I paid someone to watch them. It wasn't forever.

Page 1 of 1