Additional Coverage:
- I stayed home when my 5 kids were little. Now that they are teens, I’m wondering whether I made the right choice. (newsbreak.com)
As a mother of five, with kids ranging from elementary school to teenagers, I’m finding that keeping up with expenses is a constant struggle. My husband is a public school teacher in a rural area, and I freelance. We knew having kids would be costly, but we were unprepared for just how much more expensive they’d become as teenagers.
Our cost of living has skyrocketed over the past few years. Groceries, utilities, insurance, car expenses – everything has increased, sometimes even tripling, while our income remains the same. This month alone, we’ve faced a mountain of bills, including $1,000 for travel sports, $2,800 for car insurance, $4,000 for homeowners insurance, and thousands more for property taxes, braces, and new tires.
Teenagers bring a whole new wave of expenses. Beyond the obvious costs like car insurance and college prep, even everyday items like clothes and shoes are significantly more expensive than they used to be.
We do our best to manage our finances. We shop at budget-friendly stores, rely on hand-me-downs, and rarely eat out.
Our children have jobs, and my husband works two extra jobs in addition to his teaching position. We keep our entertainment simple, mostly staying home.
The financial strain has me questioning past decisions. I prioritized being home with my children, working nights and freelancing to be a constant presence. I’m proud of that, but now I wonder if I should have focused more on earning and saving for these expensive teen years.
These years are just as demanding as the baby and toddler stages, just in different ways. The mental and emotional toll, combined with the financial pressures, is overwhelming. My teenagers need my presence now more than ever, but the struggle to afford everything makes it incredibly difficult to be there for them the way I want to be.