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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 263
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I just thought I would share this with all of my MB friends. It really made me feel even more special as a parent to read the breakdown this way. I hope you all enjoy. -- Michele<p>We have seen repeatedly 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, really nice! The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up $160,140! That doesn't even touch college tuition.<p>For those with kids, that figure leads to wild fantasies about all the money we could have banked if not for (insert your child's name here). For others, that number might confirm the decision to remain childless.<p>But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into $8,896.66 a year, $741.38 a month, or $171.08 a week. That's a mere $24.44 a day! Just over a dollar an hour.<p>What do your get for your 160,140?...........well,<p>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 jam.
A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sandcastles, 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.<p>You get to finger-paint, carve pumpkins, play hide-and-seek, catch lightning bugs, and never stop believing in Santa Claus.<p>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.<p>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. <p>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 the bike, removing a splinter, filling the 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.<p>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. <p>You get to be immortal.<p>You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren.<p>You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.<p>In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there with God.<p>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.<p>May you ENJOY YOUR KIDS (and grandkids) !!!!!!

Joined: Aug 1999
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Michele,<p>I cannot believe that you left out the BEST reason to have kids. Look at all the neat toys and computer games you get to buy and play with and not have to admit they are really for you. [img]images/icons/grin.gif" border="0[/img] <p>I liked this.<p>God Bless,<p>JL<p>PS: You also get to relive college days again as well. It is very cool to watch a child learn about life and grow while in college. But, the coolest thing is get to the point where they see you as a friend and not just a parent.

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Gawd, I love this! Thanks Michelle.<p>Jo

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Thanks for sharing this. I loved it!

Joined: Jul 2001
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I cannot imagine NOT having kids in my life, bio-, adopted, step-, grand-, students, etc. Only from a life that includes children do we truly participate in the future. <p>Thanks for the reminder, Michele. (Can you guess that I have just returned from visiting my GS! [img]images/icons/grin.gif" border="0[/img] <p>Estes

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Hi Michele!!<p>I haven't posted to you in a while....sorry!<p>This is great, really wonderful. But I was thinking of my doofuz stbx as I read it, because how many opportunities has he given up by doing what he is doing? NOTHING is worth trading those opportunities for, that special sharing we have with our own kids.<p>I am the lucky one here...having my babies in my life every single day. thanks for reminding me.<p>Love and light,<p>Jacky


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