DINK to SAHM

A Family of 4. We are complete

D.I.N.K Meaning - Dual Income No Kids
S.A.H.M Meaning - Stay At Home Mom


Well the days before we had children and a full time jobs we were often referred to as DINKS, told we should get personalize license plates at one point.. Those were the days of spending what we wanted, how we wanted, when we wanted... Wow have times changed.. Funny how we never travelled though? I think that was my issue though, I hated to fly still not the biggest fan of it, but will do it if needed.

Now, I have been a SAHM for the past 6 years & we have been living off one income. I left a good job working in the City as a Marketing Cordinator for a very well known Insurance Company making very good money.. I loved my job, loved the people I worked with, had my own space (a Cubicle, but it was mine all mine), ate hot lunches, took breaks for tea, went shopping at the mall on my lunch... It was great.. But deep inside there was always something missing...... A Baby!

Being at home has not been all that bad living on one income, comfortable but not fun... I miss the "FUN" part of the DINK. (LMAO sounds so wrong). We are on a budget we have to be being on one income. So things like a Blackberry for a  SAHM in our eyes is so not a nessecities, Coach bags, Pedi's & Man's daily, Tanning Beds, Eatting out at fancy resturants is just not needed for us at this point in our lives. But really, all these are they filling something that we are otherwise missing in our lives?? Although not at times our life may not seem glamourous and fun, this is what we chose for our kids, It is practical and simple & it works.  We wanted to have 1 parent home with them, someone who can be there when they come home from school, someone to be there when they are sick & just need cuddles. We were not big on a Stranger raising our 1 year old. So many thoughts went through our heads when we were having to make the decision whether I would return to work or not... What is Belle had not started walking by the time I went back to work, her daycare provider were see her first steps, what if she was sick, I would have to miss work but still pay the daycare! 1/2 of monthly salary would be spend on DAYCARE!! It is like 35-55 bucks a day depending on their age! That is insane money!

So after deciding to stay home, some changes had to be made.. The way we spent! Cut backs, not huge ones but ones that made sense to us. We had 2 cars, but at the time I would barely go anywhere because I was not a huge driver, just barely got my license so having the second car seemed silly, so we got rid of that (Now looking back wish we had kept it, but at the time did not make sense to keep). It meant alot of the time we would for fit any thing that we wanted to save money! We gave up alot, like travelling & dates night, outings with friends but we were kind of different to alot of our friends because there were still DINKS themselves so they did not understand our "Parenting World".... You tend to stay with people that are more in line with you.

We certainly never deprived ourselves of things, if we wanted them we would budget for them. We also would say that rather then buying something just make ourselves "Feel Good" we should sleep on it for a week and if we really, really, really wanted it after a week then it was ours. Because that would save on the impulsive spending & it worked! If there was one thing that stuck out in my head when deciding to stay home were the words my mother always said.. "Your kids will never do without & they didn't, and you always find a way to make it work & you do" and she was so right! Because it is so true! We were willing to make these small sacrifices for our kids to have the 1 parent stay home with them.

Now that the girls are older & Laila will be in school as of September, their needs are different, I think I am willing to start something Part-Time (But not until I catch up on my well needed sleep that I have missed for the past 6 years) Just kidding...  Even going back Part-time will have limitations, it would have to work around my schedule 9-3. Now we will need to have a second car to get me to my Part-Time job, running the kids to their sport events and stuff with school. Going back to work would just give me that "Adult Time" that I have missed for so long, the "Fun" money that we lost!

Looking back to 6 years ago, I thought for sure there was no way we would ever be able to pull off the 1 income thing, 1 car... There was no way!! But I tell you , it can be done. We are proof. We went from our 1260Sq Ft home with 2 kids, to a Beautiful 2300 Sqft Home during that time! Our kids have been kept active in Dance/Gymnastics. We have travelled to Disney & Nova Scotia, Camping, Day Trips and so much more.. And the best part is they have always had 1 parent home with them 24/7 and at 5:30pm both parents are sitting with them at the table for dinner to discuss our day. So it works and it has worked for us. It might be for everyone but it was for us.

This year, Tom and I will be celebrating our 10th Wedding Anniversary and we will be doing that with Great Friends who will also be having their 10th Anniversary as well. So we will be cruising together! Now is the time when we will find that balance of us and our children & they will never do without or want for anything.. Those girls are our world and we will do anything to make them happy! They have made us who we are, they have added such joy to our lives... Tom and I gave up the little things to get the big things in life!  I think that time made us stronger and helped us grow as individuals.