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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]To be honest when my wife stopped working we estimated the first 60k of income was lost due to added expenses.

But it is more than that. Once my wife stopped working I could work late, join outside professional organizations, work longer hours. Be available. Not always as not necessary. But I was not the run out the door type.

Out of all my family and cousins my brother and I have the highest HHI with SAHM wives. I no longer make big money. But I was making 400k for a 15 year run that started when my kids were 6, 4 and a new born. No way could we manage that HHI with both working with 3 kids. Childcare, maid, take out, commute would have been nightmare and neither of us would have held a high paying job.

My brother has held down a 400k to 650k job for 23 years. His. Wife quit when oldest was 1. [/quote]

This was our experience too. I (DW) fought to stay in the labor market and did so for many years with 3 kids but after I quit due to a health crisis our HHI tripled with one earner. That doesn't happen to everyone but I know a number of families where the sole earner's income shot up dramatically once the juggling act ended. [/quote]

Same here.  I became a SAHM and my DH was able to get more professional credentials and certifications.  We had always kept our COL low and we were doing a decent job of saving and investing, so with my quitting work, we were still able to  accumulate wealth on one hand, but also my DH's salary went up a lot.

With the pandemic and teens and DH working from home, the household has continued to work efficiently and smoothly because I am home and not doing an office job. [/quote]

I don't really see how my DHs income could.get any higher. He's a surgeon and has a private practice. I actually enjoy working because I'd be alone so much if I didn't. We do have a wonderful nanny, as I'm also in medicine though I'm a nurse anathesologist. I have a pretty consistent schedule. My kids are now older and our nanny has transitioned into housekeeping amd driving the kids around. I have to say I'm honestly glad my life isn't hers. I get the best of times and get to scrap the grunt work.  [b]I don't really see much value in doing laundry, grocery shopping, and vacuuming. [/b][/quote]

NP here - this is basically me. I'd rather stay in 3-hour meetings or write code / reports than clean up toilets or mop. Even if we'd keep our weekly cleaning service, I know I'd be expected to pull more in terms of organizing and planning the household, and to me, it's already mind-numbing enough as it is. So, to me, WOH is much much more enjoyable than SAH. [b]After working my a** off at MIT for 2 years to get a MSci, I can't imagine the highlight of my day being washing my H's boxer briefs.[/b] [/quote]

Ok, I'm mostly with you.  I find my job waaay more interesting than domestic chores.  And, maybe i do a less good job at my portion of domestic chores than some, but they don't take up THAT much of my time.   But 1) Is a MSci different than an M.S.?  Or do you just want to make sure we know the s stands for science?  I also have an MS in engineering and not sure I've heard ofMsci.  2) I assume highlight of SAHM day is not related to laundry, but probably to some moment with kids.  I can respect that.  I find the balance of working and parenting to be a better fit for me, plus the $$$$ is helpful.  I see how others make other choices and don't think they probably have laundry as a daily highlight. [/quote]

1) Interesting, I think it's more practical vs. theoretical, like hard vs. soft sciences? Mine is officially MFin, but for a lot of people it's not really relevant and 2) most of the time is spent on mundane activities. As kids get older, they become more independent, spend most of their time in school and activities etc. [/quote]

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