I realized today we are “daycare poor”

There are a limited number of $10/day daycare spots in our city. If you can't get one of those, your options are home daycare or private centres.

We had an exceptionally bad experience at a home daycare, so have chosen a private centre instead - but the combined cost for our two kids is double our mortgage. And it's a good centre, but it's not like the most amazing centre in the world - it just seems like a pretty typical daycare.

We have a beautiful home in a not so wonderful neighbourhood. Yesterday I was going over the numbers, and realized we could easily afford a beautiful home in a better neighbourhood - if it weren't for daycare.

So you know how people say they're "house poor" - they have a house, but the income they spend on the house undermines their overall financial stability?

I propose that I, and probably many others, are "daycare poor" - and I know daycare isn't forever, but it just makes me so angry.