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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Working is more expensive than not working

Shortly before Benjamin was born I interviewed for a job that I didn't get. It turns out that was a huge blessing in disguise because I couldn't have worked this summer. I just couldn't have. End of story.

I was just offered that very same job today—asking me to let them know my decision as soon as possible so that I could be cleared to start work on Monday. It was tempting—to work from home a couple of hours every day—but in the end we declined and here's why:

  • It requires early morning hours; we're traditionally night owls... And though Benjamin slept through the night (a full eleven hours!) for the first time ever last night I'm pretty sure it was a fluke.
  • It pays less than what I've ever been paid since graduating from college (and only 75 cents more than my last job in college).
  • It would require Andrew keeping the kids out of my hair, which he's totally capable of but...
  • Andrew gets paid twice as much (as what I would be earning if I took this job) at his side job so it would not be cost effective to have him be the parent while I work because do you know what we could do instead? He could work and I could parent and magically we'd earn twice as much money. Ta-da!
In the end it was a no-brainer. My contribution to the family's income will remain being a stay-at-home mother. And I think I'm okay with that, though it's still mystifying that it's possible for me to work and lose money...

5 comments:

  1. Nope, I totally get it. Once Jason start moonlighting he has the ability to make 10x what I could make an hour...it is ridiculous. And also not surprising that a lot of the couples we know where the wife is the doctor that the husband will take time off to take care of the kids when they have them...unless of course they are both doctors and then they just pay someone :)

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  2. That is pretty silly, isn't it?
    And Aaron slept for 10 hours last night for the first time as well, so last night must have been a great sleep night! Let's hope tonight is as well!

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  3. Josh just realized how much more his earning potential us than mine (nearly 3 times depending on what he's doing) and it was a serious ego stroke. :)

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  4. A. I WISH that my husband's earning power was more than mine.
    B. I totally did not sleep well last night.

    I am just not following the pattern of this post and its commenters!

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  5. BA in Humanities vs. MS in Computer Science - who do you think has the greatest earning potential in our family? But it's ok, because I'm awesome to take on European vacations or to have on your Trivial Pursuit team. I earn my keep :)

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