Cost of Children $$

amberstar · September 14th, 2004, 07:56 PM

A good friend sent this to me and it reminds me how very lucky I am to be a parent, sometimes we get so caught up in the hustle of life to count our blessings .........just thought I'd share it with everyone.

The Price of Children

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, 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.

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 $24.24 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?
1. Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
2. Glimpses of God every day.
3. Giggles.... under the covers every night.
4. More love than your heart can hold
5. Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
6. Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
7. A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
8. A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sandcastles,
and skipping down the sidewalk in the pouring rain.
9. Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said; or how your stocks performed that day.
10. For $160,140, you never have to grow up.
11. You get to finger-paint, carve pumpkins, play hide-and-seek,
catch lightning bugs, and never stop believing in Santa Claus.
12. 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.
13. 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!
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. You get to be immortal.
17. 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.

18. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.
19. 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.

> > >ENJOY YOUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS!
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away..."

Muffit · September 14th, 2004, 08:38 PM

Awesome Amberstar, just awesome!

You cannot measure the value of a child with money
But only with the beats of a heart you know was once part of yours...

amberstar · September 14th, 2004, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muffit

Awesome Amberstar, just awesome!

You cannot measure the value of a child with money
But only with the beats of a heart you know was once part of yours...

So true Muffit.......... any parent can tell you that they are priceless!! Money is never a factor.

Glad you liked it

bsg1fan1975 · September 15th, 2004, 03:40 AM

amen. I know the feeling. My mother never thought she would see me do what I have done so far.

julix · September 15th, 2004, 05:19 AM

Sis
Thanks for that it is so true!!!!!It is always great to be reminded of things we know in our heart. I have always felt that being a mother is the tougest job I have ever loved

amberstar · September 16th, 2004, 03:27 AM

((((((Julix, BSG))))))
Glad you liked it.......... it really made me relize how those little everyday occurrences, that I sometimes take for granted, are so very special.

shiningstar · September 16th, 2004, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amberstar

A good friend sent this to me and it reminds me how very lucky I am to be a parent, sometimes we get so caught up in the hustle of life to count our blessings .........just thought I'd share it with everyone.

The Price of Children

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, 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.

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 $24.24 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?
1. Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
2. Glimpses of God every day.
3. Giggles.... under the covers every night.
4. More love than your heart can hold
5. Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
6. Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
7. A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
8. A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sandcastles,
and skipping down the sidewalk in the pouring rain.
9. Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said; or how your stocks performed that day.
10. For $160,140, you never have to grow up.
11. You get to finger-paint, carve pumpkins, play hide-and-seek,
catch lightning bugs, and never stop believing in Santa Claus.
12. 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.
13. 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!
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. You get to be immortal.
17. 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.

18. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.
19. 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.

> > >ENJOY YOUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS!
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away..."

Thank you for breaking that down Amberstar

braxiss · September 16th, 2004, 08:15 PM

nice, very nice

bsg1fan1975 · September 17th, 2004, 03:46 AM

can't believe I supposedly cost my parents that much

BST · September 17th, 2004, 04:16 AM

Thanks, Amber.

Children are the most precious gift that we ever receive. I thank God, every day, for bestowing that gift to me. Simple words can NEVER adequately express my love for her.

martok2112 · September 18th, 2004, 06:06 PM

LOL! I love kids...although (and I will probably be sent back to the THWACKERY for this) I do not plan on having any...at least not in the near future.

I cannot imagine myself being a very good parent. In fact, whenever I am over at my friends' house, where they have a couple of four year old kids, I do my best to not get annoyed with their antics. But when they start monkeying with things that they shouldn't I always crack this little joke:

"Hey, don't mess with things that are more expensive than you."

It is meant as a joke, and thankfully my friends know it to be such...but I think it shows just how intolerant of a parent I would be.

As I said, I love kids...I guess as long as they are well behaved. But kids will be kids...so let 'em have their fun. They are only kids once.

That was a nice posting though, Amber. I wish I could feel more like the post suggests...but I have a rough enough time looking out for meself.

((((((((((((((((((((Amberstar))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Respectfully, and regretfully,
Martok2112

shiningstar · September 19th, 2004, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martok2112

LOL! I love kids...although (and I will probably be sent back to the THWACKERY for this) I do not plan on having any...at least not in the near future.

I cannot imagine myself being a very good parent. In fact, whenever I am over at my friends' house, where they have a couple of four year old kids, I do my best to not get annoyed with their antics. But when they start monkeying with things that they shouldn't I always crack this little joke:

"Hey, don't mess with things that are more expensive than you."

It is meant as a joke, and thankfully my friends know it to be such...but I think it shows just how intolerant of a parent I would be.

As I said, I love kids...I guess as long as they are well behaved. But kids will be kids...so let 'em have their fun. They are only kids once.

That was a nice posting though, Amber. I wish I could feel more like the post suggests...but I have a rough enough time looking out for meself.

((((((((((((((((((((Amberstar))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Respectfully, and regretfully,
Martok2112

The only way you'll end up at the thwacking thread for this is if you have them
and then say .......I DON'T Want them or LOVE them then the thwack I gave
you last time will be .......simply a 'mild' taste of what you WILL get from me

martok2112 · September 19th, 2004, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiningstar

The only way you'll end up at the thwacking thread for this is if you have them
and then say .......I DON'T Want them or LOVE them then the thwack I gave
you last time will be .......simply a 'mild' taste of what you WILL get from me

I consider myself duly warned.

Respectfully,
Martok2112

shiningstar · September 19th, 2004, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martok2112

I consider myself duly warned.

Respectfully,
Martok2112

amberstar · September 19th, 2004, 06:03 PM

((((((((Martok)))))))))

When you have a little one of your own, you will feel differently. You will still get annoyed at times but it won't affect you in a bad way

shiningstar · September 19th, 2004, 06:04 PM

I think you're right about that Amberstar

julix · September 20th, 2004, 05:18 AM

Martok...
Here is how I feel, If you feel you don't want children or question it then I salute you. There are too many people who go into parenthood without thinking it through and then find they don't like it or don't put the right level of committment into it. It is the children that suffer, then and it can turn into a bad repeated cycle when those kids have children. I know I have worked with a lot of students whose parents checked out on them...made it clear they didn't want them. Having children is hard work and a lot of sacrfice to do it right(most of us wouldn't trade it) but I admire people who know enough about themselves to question it.

Amber is right .....it can be different with your own child.

martok2112 · September 20th, 2004, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by julix

Martok...
Here is how I feel, If you feel you don't want children or question it then I salute you. There are too many people who go into parenthood without thinking it through and then find they don't like it or don't put the right level of committment into it. It is the children that suffer, then and it can turn into a bad repeated cycle when those kids have children. I know I have worked with a lot of students whose parents checked out on them...made it clear they didn't want them. Having children is hard work and a lot of sacrfice to do it right(most of us wouldn't trade it) but I admire people who know enough about themselves to question it.

Amber is right .....it can be different with your own child.

(((((((((Shiningstar)))))))))))))
((((((((((Amberstar))))))))))))
(((((((((Julix))))))))))))))

Thank you for understanding...and making me feel better about my own insecurities.

With gratitude,
Martok the Humble

bsg1fan1975 · September 20th, 2004, 11:28 AM

We all doubt in some ways that we will be good parents. I know what it is like to have children as I helped raise my younger brother and sister till I moved to be with my hubby.

shiningstar · September 20th, 2004, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bsg1fan1975

We all doubt in some ways that we will be good parents. I know what it is like to have children as I helped raise my younger brother and sister till I moved to be with my hubby.

I helped raise both of my nieces but inspite of the fact that my oldest niece was
special needs .......nothing prepared me for raising two Autistic children. Not that
I'd change a thing about my little loves if I could.

bsg1fan1975 · September 20th, 2004, 12:32 PM

I also helped with my niece and two nephews when my sister needed a babysitter and from time to time I would go help my cousin who has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair with things she needed to get done. I think I have alot of practical experience to be prepared to be a mommy.

shiningstar · September 20th, 2004, 04:35 PM

I think you do too.