I’m doing my best to provide stability, safety, and care not only for my patients, but for my own family. Right now, I am struggling in a way I never expected.
The rising cost of living in New Zealand has placed me in an impossible position.
Everyday essentials such as fuel, food, childcare are no longer manageable on a single income, even in a profession that is meant to be valued and supported.
I am currently still waiting, three months later, for my childcare subsidy to be reviewed and approved.
During this time, I have been relying on the goodwill of childcare providers and others who have shown understanding and compassion, allowing me to continue working despite the delays.
‘Everyday essentials such as fuel, food, childcare are no longer manageable on a single income, even in a profession that is meant to be valued and supported.’
The ongoing cost of fuel in particular is forcing me into choices that no parent should ever have to make. I am having to choose between putting fuel in my car to get to work, or using that same money to provide basic essentials for my children.
Without fuel, I cannot work. But without meeting those basic needs, I am failing my children.
It is an impossible position to be in. Public transport does not allow me to drop the kids off at school or day care and get to work on time.
Without the goodwill of others, I would not be able to continue working at all. And if I cannot work, I cannot provide for my children.
I now find myself making decisions no parent should ever have to make: balancing the cost of getting to work against food on the table and other basic needs for my children.
These are not choices that reflect a functioning or supportive system.
As a nurse, I care for people at their most vulnerable. But I am now experiencing that same vulnerability in my own life. It is deeply concerning that those of us working in essential roles are being pushed to this point.
This situation is not just about me, it reflects a wider issue affecting many New Zealanders who are working hard, doing the right thing, and still falling behind.
It raises serious questions about whether current systems and policies are truly supporting families, or whether they are out of touch with the realities people are facing every day.
I am not asking for special treatment. I am asking for timely support, fair systems, and the ability to provide a basic standard of living for my children without having to sacrifice their wellbeing.
No parent, and no essential worker, should be put in this position.
- Jonathan [last name withheld] is a registered nurse in Waitematā district.