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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Duckslayer100" data-source="post: 221120" data-attributes="member: 1485">Man, lots of good observations and insights here. Sorry if I came off "whiny" as one person put it, but I often take time for reflection, and it just so happens to occur on Mondays after the weekend. Ha! Certainly wasn't looking for pity, just making sure I'm not the only schmuck dealing with this stuff. It's cathartic seeing a lot of fellers with similar situations, and giving out helpful, honest feedback. I should point out that my wife and I are pretty frugal. We have vehicles that are paid off. No debt other than our mortgage. I was fortunate to come out of college with a degree and no loans (but I busted my ass during the summer to pay my way and got a few scholarships, too), and we paid my wife's loan off within two years of her graduating by focusing on the debt. The biggest cost right now other than day-to-day living expenses is our daycare. Good GOD is that expensive. But we both make more than the cost of the daycare, so it makes sense to keep them in and us both work full time. Fortunately my wife only works four days a week, so she has one day to tackle errands and housework, which really helps out. And our oldest has one one more year before kindergarten, so it won't be forever. We don't have a lot of toys. Most of my hobbies have gear that was bought and paid for years ago. I think I bought a few packs of shotgun shells last year and that's it. I haven't even purchased any fishing stuff this year, and I don't have plans to. The biggest surprise expenditure ultimately is a vet bill and even that I was able to avoid last fall (knock on wood)!!!After thinking about it, we DO spend a ton of time together as a family. Over the course of a day it may not be the bulk of hours available, but it's more than some folks. We eat breakfasts and dinners together every day. We rarely spend a weekend apart. Even when I go hunting in the fall, I make it a point to go a half day so I can be home in the mornings or afternoons. And whenever I can, my oldest tags along because I feel that's the most important thing I can do as a dad. Just involve them. When my youngest gets to that point, she'll have every opportunity her brother did. The hardest part is disconnecting from work in a very connected world. The biggest gripe coworkers had about my predecessor is that he'd never answer his phone. I'm probably on the other end of the spectrum and have made myself TOO available. Finding that happy medium, as others have said, is going to be huge.</blockquote>

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