Guest guest Posted January 19, 2001 Report Share Posted January 19, 2001 > Price of a Child >> >> The government recently >> calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with >> $160,140 for >> a middle-income >> family. Talk about sticker shock. That doesn't even touch college >> tuition. >> >> For those with kids, that figure leads to wild fantasies about >> all the things we could have bought, >> all the places we could have traveled, >> all the money we could have banked if not for Sara, , and Hunter. >> >> For others, that number might confirm the decision to >> remain childless. >> >> But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. >> It translates into $8,896.66 a year, $741.38 a month or $171.08 a week. >> That's a mere $24.44 a day. Just over a dollar an hour. Still, you might >> think the best financial advice says don't have children if you want to >> be rich. It's just the opposite. >> >> What do you get for your $160,140? >> >> * 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 jam. > >> * A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sandcastles and >skipping down the sidewalk in the pouring rain. >> >> * Someone to laugh yourself silly with no matter what the boss said or how >your stocks performed that day. >> >> For $160,140, you never have to grow up. >> >> *You get to finger-paint, carve pumpkins, play hide-and-seek, catch >lightning bugs and never stop believing in Santa Claus. >> >> *You have an excuse to keep reading the adventures of Piglet, Pooh and >Tigger too, watching Saturday morning cartoons, going to Disney movies and >wishing on stars. >> >> *You get to frame rainbows, hearts and flowers under refrigerator magnets >and collect spray-painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, handprints set in >clay for Mother's Day and cards with backward letters for Father's Day. >> >> For $160,140, there's 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 the bike, removing a sliver, filling the >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 to 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. >> >> *You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, >communications and match. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there >with God. >> >> *You have the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away 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. My cats knead me !!!! > Price of a Child >> >> The government recently >> calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with >> $160,140 for >> a middle-income >> family. Talk about sticker shock. That doesn't even touch college >> tuition. >> >> For those with kids, that figure leads to wild fantasies about >> all the things we could have bought, >> all the places we could have traveled, >> all the money we could have banked if not for Sara, , and Hunter. >> >> For others, that number might confirm the decision to >> remain childless. >> >> But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. >> It translates into $8,896.66 a year, $741.38 a month or $171.08 a week. >> That's a mere $24.44 a day. Just over a dollar an hour. Still, you might >> think the best financial advice says don't have children if you want to >> be rich. It's just the opposite. >> >> What do you get for your $160,140? >> >> * 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 jam. > >> * A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sandcastles and >skipping down the sidewalk in the pouring rain. >> >> * Someone to laugh yourself silly with no matter what the boss said or how >your stocks performed that day. >> >> For $160,140, you never have to grow up. >> >> *You get to finger-paint, carve pumpkins, play hide-and-seek, catch >lightning bugs and never stop believing in Santa Claus. >> >> *You have an excuse to keep reading the adventures of Piglet, Pooh and >Tigger too, watching Saturday morning cartoons, going to Disney movies and >wishing on stars. >> >> *You get to frame rainbows, hearts and flowers under refrigerator magnets >and collect spray-painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, handprints set in >clay for Mother's Day and cards with backward letters for Father's Day. >> >> For $160,140, there's 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 the bike, removing a sliver, filling the >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 to 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. >> >> *You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, >communications and match. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there >with God. >> >> *You have the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away 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. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 20, 2001 Report Share Posted January 20, 2001 > I am thankful for my three beautiful daughters. Next to my wife they are the most precious blessings God has given me. Bo > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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