I can see how it could happen. I've only got 4 kids, my wife was a stay-at-home mom by choice (she just recently started working a few hours a day at one of the schools) and we had/have a very modest lifestyle and things got very precarious for awhile. I wasn't making $300K a year but I did make a fair amount more than most people would have assumed. I also didn't feel the need to live up to a particular lifestyle or send my kids to a particular school. The daily expenses of feeding, clothing and providing some level of comfort adds up fast. Kids are expensive if you don't spoil them. Exponentially more if you do. Especially if you have 8!

Fortunately my work-life balance was (and is) damn good and that's likely the difference in the whole equation. That sounds like it was the beginning of the end or their marriage. If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

Yes, no one forces you to put them in the latest clothes and give them the latest technology. OTOH I can see how one can get wrapped up in that once that level of expectations has been already been set. Male pride/ego can be b!tch sometimes. It got me into the hole before it got me out.

__________________

1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)