The Basics -- Cost of being a stay-at-home mom: $1 million - MSN Money

This msn article is written by a stay home mom and "the cost" referred to is the potential income given up by stay-at-home-moms. Now we all know that often a second income goes towards child-care, car expenses, etc defeating the purpose of a second extra income. However, the catch-22 here is that we can't paint the picture then that life is financially rosey when moms choose to stay home.

The reason is that there is, from what I understand, a slew of legislation that could benefit stay-home-moms, such as tax breaks etc. But if the situation is presented as not urgent or relaxed then there is no impetus to assist single income families in which moms choose to remain home and care for their kids.

Thus the balancing act. While we argue the financial futility of second incomes being drained by the transportation and child care costs, we should also present the flip side that a single income is not as rosey as it may seem.