How do you have kids here?

R

roundcorners_IHB

New member
I have found it virtually impossible recently to raise a family. Things just don?t add up; at the end of the month something is always short. Either I have spent so much time at home that my work is suffering; or I spent so much time at work that my wife is exhausted. Either we eat take-out so much that our credit card bill is twice the amount or we (cook) eat in and we miss our son?s bed time.



Our son is 13 weeks old this week. He is sleeping a little better at night and is only walking up once or twice now. We are trying to sleep train him, so he is never awake for more than two hours at a time; this means that I rush home in the middle of the day to sooth him to sleep, so my wife can keep some of her sanity.



I?m the sole provider and with lingering medical bills, taxes, student loans, revolving debt and expenses we have been left with about a thousand negative for the past few months. That modest house seems almost fleeting at times except for the glimmer of hope found here on the IHB.



I know this season will pass; and we have so much to be thankful for. This new chapter of our journey has brought so many people/strangers that have yet again come around us when we needed it the most. Never have we been so emotionally, financially, physically and spiritually drained. Yet we find ourselves so in love with a near stranger.



When I read last night that the median price of a US house fell to $169,000 I realize that the OC is one of the toughest yet best places to raise a family. Why do we have to love it here so much? How did we end up in one of the most expensive places in the country? We never took a poll to see what the ratios are of single to double income earners; and how many families have single versus multiple children. I?m curious to know how your household is making or not making ends meet in the OC.
 
[quote author="roundcorners" date=1242284846]I have found it virtually impossible recently to raise a family. Things just don?t add up; at the end of the month something is always short. Either I have spent so much time at home that my work is suffering; or I spent so much time at work that my wife is exhausted. Either we eat take-out so much that our credit card bill is twice the amount or we (cook) eat in and we miss our son?s bed time.

</blockquote>


Please come to the food/dining forum and ask people for suggestions on quick and healthy recipes. Many members here have faced the same issues in the past and spent considerable amount of time to balance their work/home life. Dinner is just one of them. We have many ideas on how to save $$ on food too.
 
Single income, three daughters, one of whom will graduate from college in one month. No debt.

I traded, (shorted stocks), for awhile, but that works for me and I do NOT reccommend it for anyone else.

IMO, you have to find your own way. You have to find what works for you. OC is not for everybody.

My guess is that things are going to get much worse for many people before they get better.
 
[quote author="awgee" date=1242288792]Single income, three daughters, one of whom will graduate from college in one month. No debt.

I traded, (shorted stocks), for awhile, but that works for me and I do NOT reccommend it for anyone else.

IMO, you have to find your own way. You have to find what works for you. OC is not for everybody.

My guess is that things are going to get much worse for many people before they get better.</blockquote>
Do you still have all your hair having raised three daughters?
 
Single income with no kids here. I could use a wife with a decent income so I can buy a bigger home and better car. haha Hard to compete against some of you dual income folks when buying a home.
 
[quote author="no_vaseline" date=1242287748]Do my two white dogs count?</blockquote>


Yes, they do. We are DINKs with our boxer and we can't imagine how the heck we could fit even one real child into this. We have a wedding in SD on Friday night and have to arrange for Mags to go the kennel. Hubby is telling me as I type that I need to take her for her walk. She's not a dog that you can just throw kibble in her dish, so her meals are work. Don't get me wrong, we adore her, but adoring her takes time and affection.



No-Vas, do you have to brush your dog's teeth? This sounds crazy, but she needed dental work and post surgery I see why. However, I have to brush the darned dog's teeth to keep it OK. I really can't imagine how we could manage a real live kid when the dog is so time consuming.
 
[quote author="stepping_up" date=1242299070]No-Vas, do you have to brush your dog's teeth? </blockquote>


Every time they get a bath. My doggies are on an all solid dogfood diet. They get carrots for treats. You still have to do it. If your dog gets something softer than kibble, you probablly need to do it more like every two or three days.



Aren't boxers awesome?
 
I lOVE our boxer and so does my husband who didn't want a dog. much less a boxer. She was a rescue, so didn't have the best care to begin with. She was 37, yes 37 lbs when we got her, so getting her to a healthy weight was a priority. We may have spoiled her, but she won't touch kibble on its own or with some broth. We mix in a little bit of some dental friendly stuff with her eggs and canned dog food. The vet told me to brush her teeth daily and we do. I know it sounds sick, but she is just the sweetest thing in the whole wide world. I think the fact that we don't have kids makes us spoil her more, but she really deserves to have some good times after what she's been through. She is 65 lbs now and looks great!
 
[quote author="usctrojanman29" date=1242298086][quote author="awgee" date=1242288792]Single income, three daughters, one of whom will graduate from college in one month. No debt.

I traded, (shorted stocks), for awhile, but that works for me and I do NOT reccommend it for anyone else.

IMO, you have to find your own way. You have to find what works for you. OC is not for everybody.

My guess is that things are going to get much worse for many people before they get better.</blockquote>
Do you still have all your hair having raised three daughters?</blockquote>


LOL, actually... no, no he doesn't. I have heard some of his stories too, and I wouldn't have hair either.
 
RC, I'm saddened to hear you are under stress. Financial security in the OC is a daunting task for most. I know from my experience, each step closer to financial freedom was only made after huge sacrifices. There were many many years were I thought the sacrifices would do me in and we would never get ahead. Slowly but surely, our savings compounded and the sacrifices are easing. I'm not sure what is the right path for you and your family to get the relief you need. You will probably have to make some hard choices for a while but it will get better over time.
 
[quote author="stepping_up" date=1242300948]I lOVE our boxer and so does my husband who didn't want a dog. much less a boxer. She was a rescue, so didn't have the best care to begin with. She was 37, yes 37 lbs when we got her, so getting her to a healthy weight was a priority. We may have spoiled her, but she won't touch kibble on its own or with some broth. We mix in a little bit of some dental friendly stuff with her eggs and canned dog food. The vet told me to brush her teeth daily and we do. I know it sounds sick, but she is just the sweetest thing in the whole wide world. I think the fact that we don't have kids makes us spoil her more, but she really deserves to have some good times after what she's been through. She is 65 lbs now and looks great!</blockquote>


It'd take a couple of days, but she'd switch back to dry food if Momma and Poppa can resist those sweet begging eyes........
 
I voted DINK. I used to want three or four kids, but now I would be thrilled to have two some day. The older I get, the more focused I become on my career. Balancing a career and kids seems like the impossible. I cannot imagine having 2+ girls but I'm convinced I will have girls as payback because I was a complete pain in the ass from 12 to 17 until I went away to college.



Roundcorners, it's so nice to see how aware you are of your wife's needs, and it's very sweet that you go home on your lunches to be with your family.
 
Dual Income 2 kids.

Roundcorners- my now 7 yr old took her until she was 2 to sleep through the night.

My 5 year old son took about a year.



I hope you are luckier than I was in the sleep department!
 
Dual income, one child --- and that's all the kids for us. If we lost one income and it appeared we would not be able to replicate it, we'd probably have to leave Irvine. Irvine is a great place, but as long as you are happy inside, you'll be happy wherever you go --- and living under economic stress does not go hand in hand with happiness. I even have a list of livable and commutable 2nd tier escape routes assembled and ready to go, ranked in order of what % of current our income would be required to thrive in each. But I'm a geek like that.



Hang in there, the weight of the responsibility a parent carries is heavy at times --- but it's all worth it.
 
[quote author="BlackVault CM" date=1242331834]Dual income now. In 3 weeks it will be single income as wife will be a stay at home mom with the newborn.</blockquote>


Congrats, BV. I think I speak for everyone in saying that we miss you around here. Maybe you'll show up more when you are up late at night and early in the morning over the next few months ;-P .



As for me, it's dual income and 2 kids. The kids are definitely hard on the wallet.
 
[quote author="BlackVault CM" date=1242331834]Dual income now. In 3 weeks it will be single income as wife will be a stay at home mom with the newborn.</blockquote>


Congratulations now and again in three weeks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top