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THE PRICE OF A
CHILD
> > > > > >I have seen repeatedly 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, > > >really > > >nice!! > > > > > >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 money we could have banked > if > > >not for (insert your child's name here). 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 is just the opposite. > > > > > >What do your 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 and Pooh, > > >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, hand prints set > in > > >clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day. > > > > > >For $160,140, 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 the bike, removing a splinter, 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, and 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 human sexuality that no college can match. > > > > > >In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there with God, Santa Claus, > The > > >Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. 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. > > > > > >ENJOY YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN!!!!!!! |
