At about 9:00 p.m. this evening, my husband walked in as Ellie and Henry were running around wildly. Molly was snoring on the couch. He had the opened mail in one hand, and as he walked into the kitchen, he said, “Molly is waitlisted for kindergarten and we owe thousands of dollars in taxes.” (Amount has been edited out to appease my husband.)
Well, hello there. Oh, and yes, it’s Monday.
On my bulletin board above my “desk” (the slab of kitchen counter I call my office), I have a note that says “write about preschool and money!!!!!!” (Yes, I use that many exclamation points when writing notes to myself.) Recently we decided we would not, could not send Ellie and Henry to the same (awesome) private preschool that Molly has attended for two years. The tuition is just too expensive for us now that we have our (more awesome) nanny back full-time, and let’s face it, good God, there are TWO of them!
Manhattan schools are crazy money. We only applied to one private school for Molly’s kindergarten and that was sort of on a whim (tuition is 40 grand). We are counting on this public school thing working out. Molly has gotten some educational perks that her brother and sister haven’t gotten and won’t get. (Don’t tell them, okay?) That’s the fact of our dynamic as a family of five in New York City (and we all know that I am not leaving my city again!).
We love our preschool community. Seriously–they are our friends, and it embarrassed me as well as made me really, really sad to have to tell the director we wouldn’t be sending the twins in the fall. I am still cringe-y about it. Along with the deep disappointment, it stripped away a layer of self-preservation to admit to having “not enough.” Finances are an odd thing to discuss openly, and it turns out I am not so good with that.
The husband and I have had some painful discussions about budgets (ours) and spending (mine). It turns out he knew about my secret love. And I had to end things.
So the past week or so I have been feeling a little proud. I’ve been sticking to my promise to not indulge myself in things I cannot afford and do not need at the moment (really, don’t feel too bad for me, I do not need a thing). I’ve faced this disturbing fact about myself: I shop for distraction from my real problems. And it didn’t kill me.
I am not devastated at the options the twins will have this year–they are turning three. They are awesome and loved and have each other to practice sharing with. There must be a reasonably priced music or art class they can take locally. And I will try to talk to them more.
Hey, it turns out I am actually good at this saving money thing!
And then our tax bill. Once the kids were in bed, we sat on the couch, with the basketball game on the television across the room.
“Well,” I said.
“Well,” my husband said.
“Yeah…”
“No vacation this summer?”
“Probably not.”
“Hmmmm.”
I’m a little worried. Not about vacations. There are things we haven’t talked about yet; I imagine we will. That we’ll have to. So this is life. The constant movements between joy and panic, relief and disappointment. Ours have been measured out in what seem like fair amounts so far. I have been surprised before by the hidden graces that often accompany honest fear. And I am about to fill my glass to the top.
Mama One to Three 
Loved this post!
thank you so much melina!
“The constant movements between joy and panic, relief and disappointment. Ours have been measured out in what seem like fair amounts so far. I have been surprised before by the hidden graces that often accompany honest fear. And I am about to fill my glass to the top.”
Nice turning of the phrases!
Thanks KF! xox
Wonderful post. It seems like life is full of ups and downs.
I understand about having to sometimes go without the nicer things in life — I’m a twin, too! I even have a twin brother, for that matter. We shared everything through life. And you know, I turned out just fine. I suspect your little ones will, too. Good job, mama!
I didn’t know you were a twin! thanks for stopping by–very nice to meet you!
New follower here, but wanted to say thanks for a good read. I’m a new mom to twins and I often think about the things they will have to do without since there’s two of them and I’ve given up my career (for now) to stay home. Keep reminding yourself that having each other has so much more value than anything else we could buy or offer them… At least that’s what I keep trying to tell myself. 😉
PS – Taxes suck. We were expecting $3000 back this year but apparently, when hubby switched the withholding numbers, there was an OOPS and we now OWE $3000 in taxes. No deck furniture for us this summer – but we’ll make it happen as I’m sure you guys will as well.
Congratulations! We are learning here every day. Thank you for saying hello!
I really loved this post! I wish you would write a book, I love your writing.
Aw thanks Elisa! I wish you would start a publishing company! 😉
Such an excellent post. We are in the same position, having to be VERY money conscious when we did not have to be before. It is humbling but honestly, when our kids grow up, they will remember the time not the money.
Humility is so much easier when it’s only theoretical… sigh. I am learning this lesson over and over I think, which is okay, just very uncomfortable … you are right that the kids will remember things other than having to cut back. thank you Jessica for the nice comment.
“So this is life. The constant movements between joy and panic, relief and disappointment. ” LOVE this line. So totally true. And hard. And great. All at once. Very honest and well written post.
Thank you Missy– everything all at once. and yet nothing too extreme. I can handle that!
Ugh, don’t you love tax time and learning about the fruits of your refund… or lack thereof :-(.
it’s a very tough part of being an adult– you don’t get to keep it all! lol
Good to read, same thoughts and problems everywhere. I´m a mom from Berlin, with one kid and we´re thinking about getting another one, worrying all the time if we can afford it. I hate to think that way. I like the way you write and you now have a fan from Germany 😉
Thank you so much for stopping by!