It's all good Donny. I joke with her, but my wife and I have a great relationship and I wouldn't have it any other way. Like I said we can agree on 95% of how the money is spent. I can say that in our years I can't rememeber us ever having a fight on how money is spent.

Plus I'll never put my little girl in a daycare. I was raised in a big family and not one of us ever spent a minute in a daycare. The wife and I have a comfortable living..., and don't struggle with money.

Plus keyboards sure as hell aren't a cheap hobby.., as is pretty much anything related to music production.

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 01-16-2009).]

There are many very good day care facilities.....of which today is a true nessessity for millions of families trying to struggle through life & beyond.

I'm sure there are fine daycares out there..., however my family doesn't struggle. We're fortunate to not have the financial problems many families today have. We're just good at managing our money. We live within our means, don't charge this, that.

Problem I've seen is too many families out there got into trouble because they're trying to live the life of a fine wine drinker on a beer drinkers salary.

I applaud and support those couples who choose to give up one income in order for one parent to stay home during the (most) formative years of their children's lives. Which parent doesn't matter. My wife, as a management-level professional (PhD/MSW)stayed home for the first seven years of our children's lives. I will always be grateful that she did. I don't see any difference between that and Squeak's situation. As I always say; different strokes..............


chas

Exactly Chas! Here's the thing.., I was raised in a family that taught equality on ALL levels. My parents did not raise us to conform to accept "gender specific roles". I was raised and taught "you do what works best for your family".

I can't speak for all you guys.., but I WILLINGLY accepted the role of "full time dad" without issues.., and I'm a college graduate too. It was nothing about manhood or pride. It was simply because I was raised that it doesn't matter WHO stays home, but if money allows.., then ONE parent stay home to raise the children and hold down the homefront.

Every one of my 7 brothers and sisters were raised domesticated. With a family as large as mine was EVERYONE had to pitch in for the household to run efficiently. My parents were loaded.., gave us everything we needed, put all of us through private Catholic school.., yet raised each of us to understand the meaning of FAMILY and value of being financially smart.

I gave up working full time to stay home as well. Thing was my wife had just graduated college..., landed a job with the Federal Government that made my paycheck look like a welfare case. We discussed it and I resigned my position to become the full time dad. I did it without question. Do you have any idea how much money we save on childcare and other things simply because we can afford to have one parent at home full time!

I guess we're all raised differently though. I will say IMO children do much better when at least one parent is home to guide and teach them. My daughter is a straight A student..., ranks as one of the top students in her school, won numerous academic awards, ect. She's polite, respects others, isn't spoiled (well by her mother at least) .., but all around she's a great kid. I think a lot of that has to do with her having a parent home.

I will say that I consider myself to be VERY lucky. Simmply because I get to watch my little girl grow up! So often it's the person that doesn't stay home that misses out on a lot of things. I volunteer at my daughters school.., participate in her class activities. I love every minute of it because I'm getting all this time with my little girl. Trust me I know the day's coming where she'll consider her Daddy to be "uncool and dorky". It's already starting really as now she's getting secretive in only telling my wife some things..., banning me from looking inside certain things that she owns saying "Daddy only girls are allowed to look in here or look inside that". I love every minute of it..., and am thankful for every day I get with my little girl because so many (2 person) working families have to miss out on it because of financial hardships.

No amount of keyboard equipment could ever replace the relationship I have with my daughter. Sure I could work just to get the biggest and baddest keyboard out there.., but I say the hell with that. I love music.., but the real music in my life that I can dance to everyday is my FAMILY.



[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 01-16-2009).]

Squeak, I think you're right. I messed up a little, though. I worked 2 jobs so Annie could be home with the kids. I missed a lot!


Russ

I have raised 4 children, my wife has never worked outside the home....
Thank God for Music.