The Stress Of Money!

I am sure that the stress of money is felt in MOST families across the USA and even perhaps around the world. I'm sure this stress is especially true for homeschooling families for MOST of them are single income households. Every penny matters; It shouldn't matter the income level.

I got blessed with knowing some people that perhaps have more of an income, but at the end of the day they had the same amount of money we had for food, soaps, cleaners, etc. Yes it's true they had more money, but they also had more debt (bills and other debt). So their debt to income level was the SAME as ours. I've met a plastic surgeon's wife that had to call her sister and tell her NOT to cash the $200 check she sent her, because if she did it would bounce. She was basically telling her sister to wait until the next "pay day" to cash so it would clear. Sure more money is nice, but if we don't know how to save it or use it wisely we can seriously be living to pay-check to pay-check. I never in a million years would have thought that a plastic surgeon would be living pay-check to pay-check like so many of us. It's true that DH and I live pay-check to pay-check. We are trying to save up our money and watch our pennies, but at times mis-communication on things can cause huge problems.

We tried signing our kids up at they Y yesterday for dance classes. However, we learn that the classes were canceled do to lack of interest. Those classes would have been a total of $70 for both kids. I called DH and told him about that and told him I would have to look around at our other options. Well he took it upon himself to call around. While I was at the Library he called me back and told me to take the kids to this gymnastic/dance/martial arts place near our home. He told me that he thought the price was reasonable and that we could swing it. I also felt as if he told me the price was going to be $80 for both kids. (This is where the mis-communication came in)

Well it turn out to be $80 per kid! More then double of what I was going to pay at the Y. Not only that but we had to buy the shoes. DD cost $30 and DS still have to be gotten, because they didn't have them on hand. If I buy DS's shoe via the dance place it would be $50 (maybe even $60) because they would be "special order". I was taken back by all of this!! It showed in my attitude for the rest of the day and while I was still at the dance place I'm sure.

While I was there kept telling myself: surely DH misunderstood them on the cost. We had the money to cover it. (Thank God), but seriously we are trying to SAVE money so that we have money for the unexpected. Spending what extras we have is not saving it.... I think that's what troubles me with my DH at times. It seems that if we have the money in the checking in his mind we can spend it; where I tend to say we DON'T have money and don't want to spend it.

So I leave the dance place call DH and begin to tell him: Well I think you misunderstood the prices and began to tell him what I spend. He said yeah that's right, that's what the cost is! Hearing this my blood began to boil; I was more livid then I've ever been in a long time. As a result my poor kids began to feel that them being in dance class was a bad thing. I didn't want that; I just was shell shocked at the price and shell shocked that DH was okay with it. Surely he doesn't think we are made of money does he.... (I know he works hard for it, but he has left me to be the treasurer; so it gets touchy when I feel we can't afford it.)

It also didn't help that while there the lady (owner) didn't seem to know the difference between boy shoes and girl shoes, she had to go talk to the dance teacher, nor was she able to help determine if the shoes were the right size for the kids. Seriously I'm clueless at these things. My kids have NEVER done anything like this and neither have I. Oh and DD was also going on and on about how she wanted this outfit and that outfit. Why do they do that?

I really should have shut my mouth, bit my tongue and followed DH lead on this one!! We hashed it out last night after the kids were in bed; and it's done. They are STILL going to dance class starting Thursday and my quest for today is to try to find an alternative source for my DS tap shoes. (We hadn't order them yet through the dance place, because the lady was out. She's suppose to call me today; So I'm hoping I can find them else where for cheaper). I also had to talk to each of the kids this morning and express to them that I am happy that they are in dance class and they they have express interest in it...and they are going to go try it out! I am truly happy about it; I'm just depressed about the "money". I don't like spending it! So when things start to cost more then $100 I start having issues.

We love our children and we may not be able to give them everything they want, we may not even be able to continue these classes once the 10 weeks is up. (I honestly don't think we can, but perhaps with God's grace we can if the kids really like it). DH said last night: "I know we can't afford every whim they want, but I don't want them to be afraid to ask us, because of money. There's always got to be a way to do it" He is much more hopeful on those things then me. I think I tend to worry about tomorrow a little to much.....

Math!

Sometimes I wonder why I "have" to do this subject with my DD. Math and her are at times like water and oil (like today), but at other times it seems as if they were made for each other.

If anything I would say that this has been my "struggle" this year regarding the schooling. Besides at time my own lack of motivation. (but that's something I can deal with because it's me.) My daughter's mood swings regarding math is enough to send me over the moon at times. I just don't get it.

What troubles me more is the last 2 days she has done great with her math. She's gotten the work done within 20 minutes or even less. Today however was a different story it took her 3 hours to get it done. Sure if it was something "new" I would understand, but today's work was just more of the same. It was the same work she's been doing the last 2 days, the same days that she whipped it out in 20 minutes or less, but today 3 hours. What gives???

Not only did it take her 3 hours, but for every problem she was crying and whining that she does NOT know how to do it!! If she was complaining that it was more of the same work then I could understand that perhaps she is burned out from doing it, but to whine and say I don't know how to do it??? I know she knows how she did it for the last 2 days and she's done great with it, but today??? UGH!!!

It fusterating and I almost dread telling her it's math time because I don't know how she'll react to it. I don't know if she'll have a good attiude towards it or if she'll start whinning. I just can't win or loose with it!!! It's really starting to get old!!

UGH! The Screaming!

It's moment like this one that make me want to pull my hair out and go "What I'm I doing?".

So the bell rang at 8:00 (about 30 minutes ago) and I told the kids it was time for devotions. Both started to cry and say, "But Mama you said we have to finish our rooms today" They wanted to finish cleaning their rooms vs. school work. Who I'm I to argue with that?? Go clean!!!

In the mist of cleaning DD found in her room a little $1 electronic game. It's a little pocket thing, 2 buttons, mini screen, and you can play soccer on it. It can't be worth more then a $1. It's one of those generic games. She came out and said look mommy I found my "gameboy" (I have no idea why she would call it that.)

Well DS right away shouted from his room...well it's not a gameboy because gameboy's are for boys only. That's why it's called a game boy. It has the word boy in it. (LOL got to love the mind of a 7 year old) DD of course started to argue that with him. I quickly ended that arguement.

Shortly after that DS left his room to hand me something and saw what DD had in her hand: the so called gameboy (now mind you it's just a genertic $1 toy). He right away started in on how that is HIS toy and DD is saying NO it's hers and now the two of them are screaming on the top of thier lungs over who is the owner of this toy. I of course had to raise my voice over theirs to get their attention to tell them to stop. UGH....I have the toy now and I won't give it back until we can settle this...but seriously the yelling is driving me crazy!!! It's moments like this that make me wonder WHY??? WHY I am I doing this....why don't I just sending them to PS, at least I would have x many hours of no fighting!!!

Of course I'm not saying they fight all the time. They do not! Nor am I saying that I'm seriously thinking of sending them back to PS (public school); it's just the stress level here is high right now!! UGH!