They say we live in a rich country but
Every mother that I know is crunching the numbers
Calculating in her head, while her child sleeps on her chest
Just how many more days she can afford this
Watching their tiny breaths, as though she is already missing them
The other parent is working too many hours, hours they would much rather be at home together
These are supposed to be the sweetest years
They are also supposed to be hard but they should be hard because of sleep deprivation, teething and leaps
Not hard because of the price of groceries and rent
I heard on the news today they were complaining about low birth rates
As I try to stretch what ingredients we have into another meal
I wouldn’t miss this for anything, even through the constant financial stress, however
I do not blame others who have had to decide to not have children
May 16
May 16, 2026 at 8:58 AM UTC
They say we live in a rich country but
Every mother that I know is crunching the numbers
Calculating in her head, while her child sleeps on her chest
Just how many more days she can afford this
Watching their tiny breaths, as though she is already missing them
The other parent is working too many hours, hours they would much rather be at home together
These are supposed to be the sweetest years
They are also supposed to be hard but they should be hard because of sleep deprivation, teething and leaps
Not hard because of the price of groceries and rent
I heard on the news today they were complaining about low birth rates
As I try to stretch what ingredients we have into another meal
I wouldn’t miss this for anything, even through the constant financial stress, however
I do not blame others who have had to decide to not have children
Supermarket price gouging, an unfair rental market, it becoming harder and harder for just one parent to work and get by.
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