The Economy Says I’m Having Two Kids

The following is a personal piece. This is an outlet for individuals who would like to share their stories, in the hope that others will connect and find support. If you have a story you’d like to share, please message us on Facebook or email us at bianca@momof11kids.com.

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That’s what it told me. I’m surprisingly cool with it – I think.

The economy also says that I’ll probably be a working mom, even though I never planned on it. So much for plans, right?

Let me back up a bit and give you some insight about who I am, what my plans were, and what my plans actually are now.

I’m Bianca, and I’m the Content Manager here at Mom of 11 Kids and a lifestyle blogger. I bought my very own home about 2 years ago, have been in a wonderful relationship for 3 years, and have a the best cat in the world (the best, I’m serious). My boyfriend and I are planning on getting married, having kids – the whole nine. We feel pretty darn confident in ourselves and our jobs, and definitely live comfortably. Life is good.

But no, we are probably not going to have three kids. And let’s face it: I’ll be going back to work after I soak up every last drop of maternity leave. But that’s a whole ‘nother story.

I’ll be honest – both of these things are disappointing to me. All my life, I’ve dreamed of having three kids (I grew up in a family of three). It was just a number that I seemed dead set on – I like odd numbers, and I loved having two siblings to share my life with. So naturally, I wanted that for my kiddos someday. But the truth is, I can’t really picture life with more than two kids. I start to think about childcare expenses, insurance, private school, college savings, dollar signs, dollar signs, dollar signs. After my head is done wrapping itself around the cold hard truth, I look to Joe and say, yeah, two is good.

Two is good.

With the way the world is functioning and the way the cost of living continues to rise, my entire perception of what will be has shifted. The economy tells me that two kids are much more manageable. Money tells me that it’s the smart thing to do.

I guess it is, but is it worth sacrificing what I’ve always wanted? I can’t really say. On one hand, I wanna say, “Screw it, I want three kids and that’s that. We’ll tackle anything that comes our way, hard money times and all.” Then on the other hand, I think, “I want to give everything that I possibly can to those two kids, and playing it smart and comfortable will make it that much easier.”

See what I mean? This is the combative dialogue I play in my head over and over. I know I’m not alone in this, either. It’s no secret that the economy has had an affect on all our lives – whether we are talking kids, houses, jobs, even pets. If you are feeling the same, I hope you’ll share some of your thoughts. I love hearing what other people consider and what others have decided on. I know I am the only one who can make this decision, but I’m still curious.

Because honestly, I’m really not sure what we’ll do once the time comes for Joe and I. We like to say that if we have two of the same sex, we’ll reassess and try for a third. But even then, I may be okay with just two. Two little ones who will learn from each other. Two kids who will fit perfectly on the 4-person ride at Disney World. Two tweens who will bicker back and forth. Two teens who will lean on each other. Two siblings who will always be the very best friends.

Yeah, two is good.

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