The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 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:
$8,896.66 a year
$741.38 a month
$171.08 a week

That is a mere $24.44 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?
* 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, 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.

For $160,140, 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.
* Watching Saturday morning cartoons.
* Going to Disney movies, and
* Wishing 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 $160,140, 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 to 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!

In fact, what a bargain!!!

Taken from http://www.truthbook.com/stories/dsp_viewStory.cfm?storyID=582

Madhur Agarwal

Replying to [Madhur_Agarwal]:Thanks my parent

Replying to [Madhur_Agarwal]:
This is good information. I will let my wife know about this, better yet, just give her 342 dollars a week for our two daughters moving forward.
Two weeks ago we celebrated my eldest dauhter birthday. A party at the local bowling place cost 300 dollars to entertain 20 kids. But after that there was a second party at the house for the whole family, so in food, drinks and services we spent over 400 dollars. Wow, we spent the whole month allocation for my daughter in one day. Men what a big mistake, I was supposed to spend only 24 bucks.
I guess those 160K only represent the basic needs food, clothing and medical expenses. Anyhow that puts in perspective how many jobs you need to have if you plan to have more than one kid. Look like Chinese are smart, by implementing the one-child policy they are saving lots of money.

Vicente

Replying to [Vicente]:

Yeah,... but I heard that they are spending more money on that one child than 2 combined .... ouch....

In the old days where my mother had 10 brothers and sisters living together in a single family. Now, everywhere is changing, every couple only wanted 1 or 2. In any case, the cost of raising a child is very expensive no matter where we are.

Replying to [Madhur_Agarwal]:

1 diaper cost $0.04
1 shoe cost $10.00
1 birthday cost $400.00
Raising a child cost $160,140


1 big kiss with "I Love You Mommy" Priceless

I love the fact that my son is such a Mommy's boy!

Replying to [Vicente]:

Dear Vicente

Thanks for appreciation.

This obviously is average calculation.

Madhur Agarwal