The Price of Children

This is just too good not to pass on to all. Here is something absolutely positive for a change. I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice.

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family. Talk about price shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition.

But $160,140.00 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:

* $8,896.66 a year,

* $741.38 a month,

* $171.08 a week.

* A mere $24.24 a day!

* Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is; don't have children if you want to be 'rich.'Actually, it is just the opposite.


What do you get for your $160,140.00?

* Naming rights . First, middle, and last!

* Glimpses of God every day.

* Giggles under the covers every night.

* More love than your heart can hold.

* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.

* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies..

* A hand to hold usually covered with jelly or chocolate.

* A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites.

* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.


For $160,140.00, you never have to grow up. You get to:

* finger-paint,

* carve pumpkins,

* play hide-and-seek,

* catch lightning bugs,

* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:

* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,

* watch Saturday morning cartoons,

* go to Disney movies, and

* wish on stars.

You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:

* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,

* taking the training wheels off a bike,

* removing a splinter,

* filling a wading pool,

* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and

* coaching a baseball team that never wins,but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat in history to witness the:

* First step,

* First word,

* First bra,

* First date,

* First time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology,
nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match..

In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren & great-grandchildren!!!!!!!

It's the best investment you'll ever make!!!!!!!!!

That is wonderful! Thanks!

I love this one. The adventures, love, new experiences really never end. My daughter is just finishing her first year of college. She is my best friend in the whole world, we get along great and I get to be 20 again listening to all she is going through in life. There is no better investment than investing your time in your children. :love:

This is awesome! Bruce always says having kids is too expensive. I must print this out and show him. :D (Even though we still won't have a child, probably.)

thank you... it brought tears to my eyes.. literally!!...

children can be costly... but so worth every penny!!!...

That was wonderful! My one and only is all grown up and he said to me recently "Mom, when my ship comes in, you'll be the first person that I'll take care of". I told him "My ship came in when you were born, boy" and I meant it. (I call him The Boy. LOL) A friend asked me recently "Can we call him The Man now?" I said "Absolutely not! He'll be The Boy forever". When he signs his cards to me, he even signs them "The Boy". Motherhood was the one thing in my life that I know for sure I've done right. Everything else is up for opinion. This was a great piece. Thanx again for posting it. :)

what delightful reading that made, sure brought a lot of joy into my heart, and a smile to my face, thanks so much for sharing.:)