This is one of the most amazing email messages I got today. The topic was something else. It is a from a Realtor who keeps sending status of housing. But this piece towards the end made the entire article worth reading.
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 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 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 says don’t have children if you want to be “rich.” It is just the opposite.What do your get for your $160,140?• Naming rights,— First, middle, and last!• Glimpses of God everyday.• 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 jam.• A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sand castles, and skipping down the sidewalk in the pouring rain.• Someone to laugh yourself silly with no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
There is a lot more, if you want to read on. Here is the link.