THE PRICE OF CHILDREN - WHAT ARE THEY WORTH ?

[UNEEK]

The Price of Children

 

This is just too good not to share

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 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,

*$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

 

 

 

Edited March 15, 2013 by UNEEK

[dog53]

Money well spent . 

wasnt it.  

[KiaKaha]

<3

 

KK

[tankdude]

Thanks Uneek - I needed that today....

[UNEEK]

Thanks Uneek - I needed that today....

I think I  understand - no matter their age - they will always be our "children"  and will  love us at times - disappoint  us at times - hurt and anger us at times - amaze us and surprise us at times - ask for help at times -- refuse help at other times -  agree with us at times and  rebel at other times -- They will make  us laugh  and cry  -

 

We will sometimes wish they were grown  and  gone and  in the next  breath  be thankful they are still at home - No matter   how much trouble they are or how much  pain we think they are or  may bring us -  we seem to always  be there for them and love them - That to me is  "special" - They are truly gifts from God <3 I wish I had more <3 <3 <3 UNEEK <3  <3 <3

Edited March 15, 2013 by UNEEK

[gymrat76541]

The best part is after they are gone & you get to see how they are doing as parents. LOL

 

Like when you have the first grandchild and he needs a diaper change, you hand him back to the parents and tell them you are out of the diaper change business! Priceless

[Maggie123]

Thanks Uneek. That Was The Sweetest Read I've Had In A While  And All True!

 

Our Kids And GrandKids ARE The Greatest Gifts In Our Lives.

 

I never noticed the $1.00 an hour for one second hahahah

Edited March 15, 2013 by Maggie123

[KiaKaha]

 <3 I wish I had more <3 <3 <3 UNEEK <3  <3 <3

 

I've got a 17 & 19 year old I'm pretty done with... the older one drives, albeit a little fast...

 

Yep, they definitely do take you thru the ropes, every end of the spectrum of every emotion you can imagine.

 

Our 19 year old is moving out at the end of the month. When she told us, she was in a good mood and when she left the room I cried for half an hour. A couple hours later she was cranky again and I took back all my tears and wishes that she would stay. Ah, the joys of parenting. That's why they get so difficult as teens, so we can let go!

 

KK

[EagleEye]

I read this as two of my twelve grandchildren were having their own fashion show at the foot of our bed with the new clothes their "G-Poppy" & "G-Mommy" got for them...between running over to take Poppy's headset off and listen to Perpetuum Jazzile (thanks Umbertino) and giggle and laugh....

 

PRICELESS !!!    

 

PS: KiaKaha  Eagle Eye's Maxim:   "Grandchildren are GOD'S reward for not "killing" you children when they are teenagers ...

[Linda]

They are all great!!! Wouldn't have missed it for anything...the grandkids are the icing on the cake!!! It has been an awesome ride....love it all...

[KiaKaha]

PS: KiaKaha  Eagle Eye's Maxim:   "Grandchildren are GOD'S reward for not "killing" you children when they are teenagers ...

 

Amen, Eagle Eye... except our 2 grandkkids live 7 hours away! Our oldest son & his wifey are expecting in September, but he's job-hunting 3 states away! We're hoping the last 4 will hold off for a while until giving us more grandkkids... at least another 3 or 4 years for 19 year old, she's not mature enough yet and 17 year old, well, I'll just kill him! 15 & 11 have no desire for kkids thankfully!!!

 

I'll tell ya what, those 2 boys are exhausting! They are 5 & 3 this year and have more energy than all the others put together! LOL Love them buggers to death, tho! Definitely a joy to be a grandma!

 

KK

[R2d2dc]

Wonderful post again! I was not blessed to be able to have any children, but my sisters had the loves of my life. I got to be an aunt! I know not the same, but its what I had and was blessed to have sisters that wanted me around to be with their children and to be able to take them to Disneyland, Seaworld, San Diego Zoo and Legoland to name a few. I got to do the movie circuit and Ice skating shows. Go to their baseball games and dance recitals have them on my days off, and oh so many things that I will always cherish. My nephew just had a baby boy, I started the 6 year countdown for our first trip to Disneyland.

Loved the post UNEEK! You are special,

r2

[UNEEK]

WOW --   I am glad I decided  to take one  more sweep before going to bed - reading  your comment will be a wonderful note to end my long rough tiring day -  You are special also - Thank  you for your kind thoughts and for reading my posts - I am really working hard to find & bring some positive uplifting posts to get us through the tough  times & over the humps - 

 

Aunts & Uncles are wonderful  -- I lived a lot of my very young  years with  a Great Aunt -  It was wonderful - I will cherish those days  and memories forever --

 

Blessings of Light & Love to you wonderful Auntie  <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 +1

[LIBoy]

What a great post. I have three kids 12, 10 and 6. They are the center of my universe. I grew up without a dad in my life and I am so grateful to God every day for allowing me to be the father I never had.

[KiaKaha]

R2, my sister-in-law was not able to have children of her own, either. She was like you, spent as much time as possible with her nieces and nephews, still flies from Virginia to Arizona to spend time with the youngest set of nieces when Mom and Dad go on vacations or work trips. She is a phenomenal seamstress and made beautiful dresses for the oldest girls. Unfortunately, my hubby and I got married after she did and she moved away so our girls only got a couple of dresses, compared to what the others got, but she was great when she was here.

 

Our eldest son and his wife were told they would never have children but after 11 years she got pregnant! We are thrilled for them! 

 

Life definitely throws us curve balls sometimes, but how we deal with them makes us who we are. Sounds like you make lots of lemonade from the lemons you got!

 

KK

[R2d2dc]

R2, my sister-in-law was not able to have children of her own, either. She was like you, spent as much time as possible with her nieces and nephews, still flies from Virginia to Arizona to spend time with the youngest set of nieces when Mom and Dad go on vacations or work trips. She is a phenomenal seamstress and made beautiful dresses for the oldest girls. Unfortunately, my hubby and I got married after she did and she moved away so our girls only got a couple of dresses, compared to what the others got, but she was great when she was here.

 

Our eldest son and his wife were told they would never have children but after 11 years she got pregnant! We are thrilled for them! 

 

Life definitely throws us curve balls sometimes, but how we deal with them makes us who we are. Sounds like you make lots of lemonade from the lemons you got!

 

KK

Thanks KK, I have had a wonderful time as an Aunt and can hardly wait to be able to start over with the newest generation. I have been blessed and I know it. Heck, I love lemonade!

r2

[Heavyduty053]

One thing i didn't see was also this: Children are God's way of giving us joy, patience, love and the last thing they give us is love and understanding when we reach the senior years. Now there's where your money was weell spent. For a Son or Daughter to be there for you when you get frail and lonesome is beyond compare.

[dtard]

Now............is that the fully dressed out price or by the pound?