So I was just looking at our bills and I decided I might as well put more I can't believe I spend money like this out there.  Anyone on savingsadvice typically is not a spender.  You probably have a frugal gene. I thought I had the frugal gene, but recently I'm starting to think not.  But LAL why?  Well I'm going to be posting a series of stuff that I am looking at my spending and going oh man.

Now I want to say my theory is as you get to be in your 40s (I am 45), I remember when we had our kids and we were 30 and 32.  We made good money for that time but things were really tight.  I don't know why.  But that's another post!

So anyway we had the kids and decided we'd do russian math.  We didn't like the american public school system for math because it didn't seem in depth enough.  Now 10 years later I will say I am right.  Both kids are better at it and enjoy it more because of the ease as they get into high levels because of the firm foundation.  Most of their friends, especially girls are bailing.  They aren't pushing onto higher level math which is needed to go into STEM fields.

But what did we really spend?  A lot.  Until now for both kids we've spent $45,472.  This year it'll be $7508 for their tuition.  I did a double take when I realized it today.

But is it anymore than what people spend on other extracurriculars for their kids?  No.  But it take more time and effort.  You have to sit with your kids and do the homework every week.  You have to devote countless hours to struggling with them to do work when others do not.  More than money it honestly was some of the hardest parenting.  

With a caveat that if we didn't have RSM during covid my kids were very young, we used the extra homework as time to do something other than watch screens.  Yes my kids were in public school and the teaching was hard virtually.  They basically easily lost 18 months of in person teaching and many, many kids fell way behind.  They were at an age where classmates of my kids forgot how to read!  Or were reading in 4th grade at a 1st grade level when they came back.

So we didn't just pay for math, we paid for structure without private school.  We had "homework" and extra work when the schools provided nothing.  We sat and did exercises with them daily.  

Now?  DK1 is in a stem high school and I will brag here is straight A and averaging 98%.  This is not an easy high school and most kids struggle.  She's breezing it and I don't do anything.  The early years of investing in studying, discipline (no screens till homework is done, with LOTS of tears), and just helping is paying off now.  She's doing Algebra 2 honors, physics honors, engineering  honors, english honors, graphic production, spanish ii honors, AP comp sci.  Math is 100% by the way without our help. 

DK2 is cruising along as well.  She's not as studious but is finally seeing the benefit of learning do your work first then you can play on screens and watch tv and do what  you want.  Phones are out of rooms every night along with computers.  Want your kid to sleep?  Make them charge it outside.  

But it sort of explains how and why my sink funds budget keeps expanding more and more.  Ugh.