Count whose time is used, not just how exhausting parenting feels
Convert daily childcare and interrupted nights into hours, then multiply by the hourly value of the time of the person doing that work. The result will often be much larger than spending on formula and nappies. Discuss the division of care before the child arrives.
What it takes
The main cost is time rather than cash. Before age three, childcare can occupy much of the day. The challenge is its daily, ongoing nature, rather than a short period you can simply push through.
What you may gain
Put daily supervision and time spent awake at night into hours, and value those hours using the caregiver’s hourly earnings. The total often exceeds the visible cost of supplies. Unpaid care, cooking and nighttime duties still belong in the calculation. This is the same approach used for housework in Chapter 10. Agree on responsibilities before deciding whether to have a child.
Context & considerations
The figures do not have to be exact. The useful part is sitting down together with the same worksheet before the birth and discussing who will do what, rather than arguing about it afterward.
Research & references
Practical experience; no direct research reference. For the costing approach, see Chapter 10.