The cost of replacing all the things a stay-at-home spouse does can be a huge drain on the finances. You aren't replacing income, but you are covering future costs and depending on the age of the kids those costs can be large. When I was updating my life insurance after we had a couple of kids it was surprising how costly it could be to have to be a single parent and find a way to replace all of the things a stay-at-home spouse does. Small things like pick-ups and drop offs for school, sports, meeting friends, etc., probably need a nanny or some sort of in-home help to watch kids that are too young for school or watching them in the hours between school end and you coming home from work, cleaning and meals/cooking, etc. These costs go up if you have a job that requires travel. Riders for a spouse usually are not too expensive and very much worth it.