Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:A.
I think if you think D gets the most respect, that mostly reflects your own priorities. I have trouble understanding why people who both have very demanding jobs have kids if they are just going to hire other people to do most of the caregiving.
So. Much. This.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I think a or b is best for parents and kids so best for overall family mental health/happiness.
Agree. The other two might meet the needs of the adults (might) but with kids involved can create a lot of deficits.
Nannies and housekeepers are wonderful but do not actually replace parents. No child prefers a nanny and housekeeper to parents. Or if they do, that parent has broken something incredibly valuable. And this increases as kids get older. They need less of your total time but the kind of time they need cannot be performed by a nanny— they need parental love, support, guidance. There is no substitute.
Choosing not to have children is a valid, good choice. You don’t have to have kids.
Anonymous wrote:C. We are currently A with no help. It’s very hard and we spend a ton of time on housekeeping, repairs and lawn care. We don’t feel like we can hire any of that out. 280k but 3 in daycare. I do love that Dh is my equal partner. I also love that I got the chance to lean into work. We both love our jobs, our kids and each other. Very happy with our family, just wish I had some help.
Anonymous wrote:I think a or b is best for parents and kids so best for overall family mental health/happiness.