Why do childcare costs always get factored out of the mothers paycheck???

Question

Ever notice when when women work outside the home that the child care costs are usually factored out of their pay and not the husbands? My friends husband wants her to go back to work and he has analyzed what amount she would need to make in order to make a "profit". He included all her potential expenses such as new wardrobe, lunches, gas for the car and daycare expenses....what is left over is what she would actually be "earning" for extra income to the household. Another married friend of mine has made comments like "It seems like I can't get ahead because most of what I make goes into paying Tinytots daycare". Wondering what your thoughts are....

Answer 1

In both of the cases that you mentioned, it was a matter of simple math ... since there is no day care cost when one parent is at home, when that parent returns to work, daycare becomes one of the costs of working, whether it be mom or dad that had been previously watching the children.

Consequently, if you have to pay $600 a month for daycare, and you are considering the pros and cons of the parent returning to work, that must be factored into the equation of how much the net profit will be.

Most solid working marriages that I have ever seen combine the incomes of both spouses, then use the money to pay the bills, and all other expenses, and decide what to do with the remainder, if any. It is a partnership, not a "this is mine, this is yours" relationship.

If the couple is trying to decide whether it is worth it for the stay at home parent to return to work, then the mathmatics are what count ... deciding the amount of net profit after deducting all expenses from the income.

Answer 2

I suppose because if she wasn't working then there would be no need for the childcare.

Answer 3

married to the wrong guy yep