Holy Mother of Gosh! ;)

I'm watching a news program, and they just announced the average cost of raising a child from 0 to 18 years old in 2008. It's $291,570! Holy Stinkin' Cow! No wonder I don't want to have any kids... Sheesh! And then get this- the average cost for raising a child in 1960 was $25,000. I think that $291,570 is absolutely outrageous when you compare it to the price in 1960. This has really just convinced me that I am going to be waiting a LONG time IF I'm ever going to adopt a kid (not able to have own kid, risk to my health).

Am I the only one that finds this just plain crazy?!

And that doesn't include College!
I am on the same boat as you, but I am 35... The way things are going, my kitties are going to be my kids! Kid-dies
Now seriously: I plan to have a kid by the time I am 40... It is my biggest dream, but I want to make sure I am financially stable to give him/her the best... If I can't do it by then, I will adopt a baby later on. Everybody in my house thought I was going to be the first one to be a mom... Here I am, the last!
That amount equals roughly $16,000/year, and I intend to pay for college, so I need to add another 40-50,000?
I wonder what the cost is in other countries...

It's definately not cheap, that I can tell ya.

I won't be paying for my kids college either. Honestly, I don't believe in paying their way. My 13yr old has worked 4wks out of this summer, and has a part time job starting in Sept. (most of the money has gone to the bank, and when she has enough money in the bank to start investing, she will be)

Parenthood is not a decision to be entered lightly, and some people just aren't meant to have children..... I know a few that shouldn't have kids, and I hope they never do I also have good friends who have never wanted children for many reasons.

To be financially responsible for a child for 18yrs or so, is definately expensive for sure. I don't know if they count the $ spent on bdays/xmas/etc. in that figure either

I'm glad I made the decision to just have 2....I wanted a third for the longest time, but it was not in the cards and now with my current situation, I am happy.

Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

It's definately not cheap, that I can tell ya.

I won't be paying for my kids college either. Honestly, I don't believe in paying their way. My 13yr old has worked 4wks out of this summer, and has a part time job starting in Sept. (most of the money has gone to the bank, and when she has enough money in the bank to start investing, she will be)

Parenthood is not a decision to be entered lightly, and some people just aren't meant to have children..... I know a few that shouldn't have kids, and I hope they never do

I also have good friends who have never wanted children for many reasons.

To be financially responsible for a child for 18yrs or so, is definately expensive for sure. I don't know if they count the $ spent on bdays/xmas/etc. in that figure either

I'm glad I made the decision to just have 2....I wanted a third for the longest time, but it was not in the cards and now with my current situation, I am happy.

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I could not agree with you more- some people just shouldn't have/had kids. For the time being, my kitties are my children. They're cheaper and not as "complex"

The reason that number is so huge is because a great deal of parents spoil their kids rotten these days.

If you haven't noticed anyways, that kids are in total control of most parents now. I'm only 21 and the difference between now and when I was a child is completely crazy.

My brother is only 6 years younger than me and to see the way he walks all over my mom and dad just baffles me, when I know that if I were to act that way at his age I probably would have gotten spanked and sent to my room!


But really, I think if we tried really really hard we could get that 200k number closer to that 25k number.

Its not only that kids are spoiled (IMO) but that the cost of things has since skyrocketed. For example, the cost of one gallon of gas in 1960 was a mere $0.31, 2009 it's almost touching $3.00 again.

Milk in 1960 was 49 cents, nowadays you're lucky to get it for under 2 bucks.

I don't even want to know what the average annual checkup at the doctors cost in 1960 compared to today.


Thank god for programs like WIC that will take care of you from prenatal to a few years after birth. Its my opinion that if you need to be on a government program to care for your kids you probably shouldn't have any, but accidents happen right? Just don't have anymore.

Think disposable diapers...

Also, all those sports-related fees both for rec sports and school sports. At school registration what used to be a donation is now a requirement.

Speaking of sports, we don't consider that we spoiled our daughter - now 22, and always the "easy" child - when we got a new car and gave her the older one. It was a lifesaver when it came time for her to get to swim practices in the summer and at high school at 7 am. That was an investment in our sanity.

BTW, she is paying for grad school.

Originally Posted by butzie

Think disposable diapers...

Also, all those sports-related fees both for rec sports and school sports. At school registration what used to be a donation is now a requirement.

Speaking of sports, we don't consider that we spoiled our daughter - now 22, and always the "easy" child - when we got a new car and gave her the older one. It was a lifesaver when it came time for her to get to swim practices in the summer and at high school at 7 am. That was an investment in our sanity.

BTW, she is paying for grad school.

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That would be one of the reasons my children aren't in organised sports. I refuse to pay $600+ for a season of soccer when that money could be put away towards something of a nessecity.

My girls are in the "free stuff" at school (which at their ages is cross country... this school yr. Kendra will be eligble for other sports).

But I remember when I was in school, I was in soccer for many years, and it was free. But that is not the case any more

Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

That would be one of the reasons my children aren't in organised sports. I refuse to pay $600+ for a season of soccer when that money could be put away towards something of a nessecity.

My girls are in the "free stuff" at school (which at their ages is cross country... this school yr. Kendra will be eligble for other sports).

But I remember when I was in school, I was in soccer for many years, and it was free. But that is not the case any more

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Kid's sports are getting ridiculous! My best friends' son is in a some kind of traveling baseball league where they not only have to pay the initial fee, but provide their own transportation and hotel rooms when then travel all over the east coast. He's 12!!!! She has a good job and can afford it, but what happened to the local little league??? Or do they charge too?

Part of the problem, I think, is in 1960 kids were happy with a bike and a radio. They used their imaginations to entertain themselves. Now, I know very few kids around here that own bikes. They want battery powered ATVs, playstations (with multiple games) and computers. Even my nephew who is almost 3 and LOVES being outside has a battery operated little car. Now, this is the age I would get him a tricycle. For two reasons. First, it teaches him corrordination and second it builds up his little leg muscles. But, his mom got him a little car. Why? Because the family down the road has one for her kid and they have to keep up. All he has to do is push a little button and it goes. And they he has a fit when the batteries are dead.