Six figure salary. Oh…doesn’t that seem so nice right now? The gas prices are rising, groceries are outrageous, and it seems like everything is so expensive. While everyone is grappling with the higher price tags with a lot of products right now, maybe I am paying particular attention because I have 3 kids under the age of 2! Let’s just face it, budgeting sucks.
It goes without saying, having a baby is expensive, especially in their first year. Try twins. Here are my latest stats:
Diapers a day: 26-30 diapers (that was pre-potty training on one child).
Wipes: We have purchased 2700 wipes in 5 months.
Formula: 4 20 oz dry powder cans (the big cans) at $33 = $132 a week
**I know breastfeeding is cheaper, but don’t let me get on my soap box with twins. And, we had the MSPI allergy, which left us always depleting our bank account and glad we were on formula anyways.
Doctor’s Appointments: 7
Extra Equipment: We thought we were set for the second child. We wouldn’t have to purchase hardly anything. Right. 1 more car seat, 1 more crib, double stroller, extra sleepers, extra bottles, etc.
Medicine: $500 +
Oh, should I throw in the fact that we had to purchase a different car as well? We weren’t quite planning on that. So, it goes without saying, I am not sure how parents of sextuplets do it. And, my husband is already taking deep breaths, we have the desires of designer jeans, activities, and womanly maintenance ahead of us in the high school years. The day we found out the sex of the twins, my husband turned white. His first reaction, “how are we going to pay for 3 weddings?” I had to assure him that we have some time. Additionally, I come from a family of three girls. My whole life, my dad said he needed to own or invest in a cotton factory. Do you know how many paper products 4 woman can go through?
But, the six figure salary is taken into account for more than just these stats and facts. Come on moms, we also are the cooks, the laundromats, the cleaners, the chauffers, the shoppers, therapists, educators, role models, organizers…and in my case, the boogie wiper, hairdresser, bather, and butt wiper.
According to Salary.com’s annual survey, an average mom logs over 96 hours a week! Dang! When is the check coming in the mail?
But, with all that said, I know many of us wouldn’t trade the moments or the memories for anything. When my two-year old says the cutest thing or my baby girls get the giggles…it is all worth it. But, I won’t lie…a mom’s job is never done. We are constantly on the job. So, it would be nice if the check would arrive in the mail some day. It might pay for a relaxing pedicure one of these days…just to get the mom sanity back.
Lesson Learned: You are always on the clock and way underpaid. But, a mom’s reward is seeing her kids happy, healthy, and becoming wonderful little people who transition to remarkable individuals.
4 Jills and a Jack 