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Wednesday 9 November 2011

The Price (and Reward) of Raising Kids



This is just too good not to pass on to all. 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!

5 comments:

  1. Hala,bat di kita ang mukha mo sa picture kabayan,haha!
    I don't care kung magkano pa magagastos ko para sa mga anak ko,kung mayaman lang ako mas malaki pa dyan ang suma total ko kabayan,lol! I want to give all the best for my kids!

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  2. awwww! sweet post kuya! i love the "first bra" because I am buying now for my girl. Gaah! where has time gone? and i was just wondering, why aren't you smiling? hehehee!!! good day, Kya!

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  3. @ mttr: hayaan mo na ang mukha ko...tingnan mo na lang yung mga kasama..he he he

    @raya: thanks madaam for dropping by:)..
    yto answer your question as to why I am not smiling? hmmm..
    I rarely smile on cameras..galit ako sa camera!!!!!watahhhh!!!

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  4. No wonder kahit anong sama ng loob ko sa nanay ko willing pa din siyang ibigay ang gusto ko kahit kontra sa gusto nya! WAHAHAHA! :)

    Nice share kuya ha! (Triond ba 'to? :P)

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  5. gawin ba namang Triond...kaya nga someday you will realize it lalo na pag nanay kana :)
    thanks Eds :)

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