by Paisley Place

Created on: May 17, 2007   Last Updated: May 21, 2007

Ultimately, every family wants either a mother or the father to remain home with their children from the day they are born until the start of kindergarten or pre-school. Many families cannot afford to do so due to finances; however, there are ways to figure out which is the best choice for your family.

The first step is to work out a budget plan including each spouse's income, all necessities, and the removal of the materialistic things that simply are not necessary. Calculate the expenses on a ledger sheet or even a piece of notebook paper. Add all the necessities with costs making certain include which parent's company has the best insurance plan. If the numbers crunch correctly, there may actually be room for a stay-at-home-mom or a stay-at-home-dad depending on who brings in more money over the course of a month and the course of a year. To enhance the budget items further, check into cloth diapers versus disposable diapers. The disposable diapers are one of the most expensive items for babies second only perhaps to formula. Consider breast-feeding instead. This knocks out yet another major expense every month. Make a rule to set aside a small percentage of each paycheck to put away in case of emergencies. If there is enough money remaining, then it is highly possible for one of the parents to remain home caring for the child versus daycare. Daycare expenses are high these days. It is important to remember that daycare alone can take at least a quarter to half of one's salary especially if the child is in diapers and needs a bottle for feedings, even if the milk in the bottle is formula. Find out if the mother's employer will allow breaks so the mother can come to the daycare to nurse the baby. This is another savings when it comes to daycare expenses.

Another option is to consider bringing baby to work. If one parent is self-employed, it may be possible to bring the baby to work with him or her. This will drastically cut back on daycare expenses; however, one must have arrangements in place for a home-sitter in case the child becomes ill and it is not feasible to have the child in the workplace. Again, consider breast-milk versus formula and cloth diapers versus disposable diapers.

Consider finding a family member to care for your child while parents work. Many grandmothers or aunts will watch your child at a low cost to no cost. Again, provide everything the child will need such as diapers, breast-milk/formula, baby wipes, a change of clothing or two, pacifier,

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