Childcare options for working moms

Featured in the Sumer 2013 issue of Multiplicity Magazine

Written by Kristi Miller

When parents find out they are expecting multiples, one of the first anxious thoughts to cross their minds will likely include the cost of childcare. Should I return to work or stay home with the children? Would my salary even cover the cost of a nanny or daycare? The 2011 Census shows the average family pays almost 9% of its monthly income on childcare for children 5 years and younger. However, through personal experience and speaking with other mothers of multiples, I can attest to much higher childcare expenses. Of course, the cost and availability of options will also vary based on geographic location. Below is a summary of the most popular childcare options for moms who want to return to the workforce, along with a cost estimate for each.

Cooking for the Week in One Day to Save Time and Money

Written By: Bridget Sandorford

You know that you need to eat more of your meals at home so that you can eat healthier and save money, but you just don’t have the time to do it. After all, you work long hours at the office, then you come home and spend time with your partner or your family, and that’s not to mention trying to fit in exercise or just finding the time to relax and de-stress. Cooking a meal each night just isn’t always possible. Ordering pizza only takes a few minutes…

Cooking your meals in bulk can help you to have more healthy meals ready to go without having to cook every night. You save yourself time and you get the nutrition that you need.

How to Cook Meals in Bulk

Back To Work :: How Do You Prepare? Where Do You Start? How Do You Know It’s Time?

Written By: Angel Rodrigues

When I had my first baby in 2005, I was a working mom. Sure, I took the allocated maternity leave. After that, it was straight to work for me, more out of necessity than desire. My husband and I worked opposite schedules and therefore didn’t need day care.

Then we decided to have a second child. We figured everything would be exactly the same, except there would be two of them. Then we found out we were having twins! “Two for the price of one” we kept telling everybody. We’ve got this…right?!?

With our family growing, fast, my husband was faced with either working his rear end off or staying home with two screaming babies. A few days trying out stay-at-home dadhood and we quickly learned what choice he was going to make. So this time, maternity leave turned into stay-at-home mom time and I was ready to go on the craziest ride of my life.

One twin had colic and the other acid reflux, or GERD to which it’s commonly referred. My toddler was the best little man ever and just rolled with the punches and got up at every bottle feeding, for moral support. He was the best big brother and middle-of-the night assistant a mom could ever ask for. With my husband working two full-time jobs, I felt like a single mom with three little ones. I got up early in the morning, provided playtime, breakfast, packed the diaper bag and cooler for a day outing. I carried my twins in their carrier car seats from our third floor apartment down to our van every day to get out of the house. At night my husband was working, so I slept from bed to bed keeping everyone fed, happy and loved, except the babies cried all the time (from illness) and so did I. I was severely depressed and quickly shutting down. Having moved out of state when the twins were born, we knew no one. I mean no one. We persevered until we decided to move closer to family. Hillary Clinton wasn’t kidding when she said it takes a village to raise a family. I felt like I needed the United Nations.

With the dawning of a new day and the help of a really long nap I realized I needed to go back to work. The kids were past their colic stage and my husband could handle it now. Back to work I went. My depression and disconnected feelings were all erased and I was whole again. My children were doing well, dad was bonding and I was making friends. Life was good. Did I mention that it was right about this point when I realized I was surprised with an unplanned pregnancy?…

… To read the rest of the story turn to page 31-32 of the Winter 2013 issue of Multiplicity Magazine. Don’t forget to turn check out other stories in this issue about being a working mom (page 38) Staying on a Budget (page 13) and how to be efficient (page 28).

About the writer: Angel has a feminist brain, a thirst for knowledge, and writing is her dirty little secret. She is mom to a 7 year old, 4 year old busy twin boys, and a 2 year old independently spirited young lady. She has been married to the best man on earth for over 14 years and is kept alive by coffee. You can follow her blog or find her on Facebook and Twitter.