The Price of Children..

Prthd119 · Post by **Prthd119** » August 13, 2006 10:04 am

The Price of Children

This is just too good not to pass on to all. 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 18 and 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, 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 $160,140.00?

* 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, and

* 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, 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 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 make !!!!!!!!!

RinglingRingling · Post by **RinglingRingling** » August 13, 2006 10:09 am

and the joy you get seeing the look in their eyes when you tell them, "your Mom wanted to keep you, but I kept the adoption agency phone number just the same" after they burn down the garage lighting that first cigarette at 5..

Crazy Navy Flyer · Post by **Crazy Navy Flyer** » August 13, 2006 10:44 am

Too expensive for me, I'll pass.

Coconuts · Post by **Coconuts** » August 13, 2006 11:24 am

I thought it was more money than that- but I think I'd still rather have a $160k boat...

Prthd119 · Post by **Prthd119** » August 13, 2006 11:47 am

Y'all are just too jaded....

photogal · Post by **photogal** » August 13, 2006 1:16 pm

and then they turned into nasty rotten teenagers and it all goes to hell.....
****Teenagers for sale...Cheap!!!!!**********
Maybe I could recoup some $$

springparrot · Post by **springparrot** » August 13, 2006 1:34 pm

Oh Connie---that was wonderful.

I just wish our grown son was still young enough to do all those cute things...but being grown has it's advantages, too.

Crazy Navy Flyer · Post by **Crazy Navy Flyer** » August 13, 2006 5:14 pm

Prthd119 wrote:Y'all are just too jaded....

You're probably right, I'll end up in a nursing home all alone drooling on myself with no one to wipe my...uh...chin.

When I was younger so many of my friends said they loved their kids but if they had it to do all over again they wouldn't have them. I guess they saw all the fun I was having and they couldn't because of the kids.

Besides, kids just break things and make messes

Desdamona · Post by **Desdamona** » August 13, 2006 5:32 pm

Crazy Navy Flyer wrote:Besides, kids just break things and make messes

Any chance you have a dog...?

Prthd119 · Post by **Prthd119** » August 13, 2006 5:42 pm

Maybe they do cost more...and there are problems you wouldn't have with a pet.

But my memories are totally priceless....and I wouldn't change them for anything....

aeroparrot · Post by **aeroparrot** » August 13, 2006 5:48 pm

I don't know. I can't imagine that I would want to have a father like me.

Island_Lullaby · Post by **Island_Lullaby** » August 13, 2006 5:50 pm

I don't have keets yet...not giving up hope though...but this is wonderful!!!!

somehow though, I think my parents would agree that I cost them much more than that

alphabits · Post by **alphabits** » August 13, 2006 6:45 pm

Prthd119 wrote:The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from Birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family.

I want my money back ..... with that extra $320K I could probably afford to retire right now.

pbans · Post by **pbans** » August 13, 2006 6:59 pm

photogal wrote:and then they turned into nasty rotten teenagers and it all goes to hell.....
****Teenagers for sale...Cheap!!!!!**********
Maybe I could recoup some $$

We're 50/50 with our kids.....two were rotten teens and two were (are) great.....it's all worth it though....

Prthd119 · Post by **Prthd119** » August 13, 2006 8:08 pm

pbans wrote:
photogal wrote:and then they turned into nasty rotten teenagers and it all goes to hell.....
****Teenagers for sale...Cheap!!!!!**********
Maybe I could recoup some $$
We're 50/50 with our kids.....two were rotten teens and two were (are) great.....it's all worth it though....

I'm 50/50 too Paige.....one for one .....but like you said...It's all worth it!

Post by **SMLCHNG** » August 13, 2006 8:37 pm

I think the warranty has run out on my keet.

Sidew13 · Post by **Sidew13** » August 13, 2006 8:59 pm

I'll stick with my 2 cats

Desdamona · Post by **Desdamona** » August 13, 2006 10:54 pm

Sidew13 wrote:I'll stick with my 2 cats

And just where would you be if I had felt that way, young man?

Sidew13 · Post by **Sidew13** » August 14, 2006 4:38 am

Desdamona wrote:
Sidew13 wrote:I'll stick with my 2 cats
And just where would you be if I had felt that way, young man?

Well at least I wouldn't be up at this d@mn hour going to work on a monday

AlbatrossFlyer · Post by **AlbatrossFlyer** » August 14, 2006 5:56 am

or 2 of these in your driveway and some spare change in your pocket

BuffettNews.com

The Price of Children..

The Price of Children..

Re: The Price of Children..