Here's How Much It Costs To Be A Stay-At-Home Parent

It's no secret that many young parents these days face a stark choice: pay through the nose for professional child care—or leave the workforce and become full-time caregivers themselves.

Many of us weigh this decision by doing some quick, mental math. We multiply the number of years we plan to be stay-at-home parents by our current incomes, and then use that number to determine if the potential pay cut stacks up against not having to pay exorbitant rates for child care.