[SandRat]

Just what do grown ups get from children?

Sierra Vista Herald
Tuesday, March 28, 2006 11:43 PM MST

Commentary by Phil Vega

Herald/Review

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, 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 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!


Giggles under the covers.


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.


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


Never stop believing in Santa Claus.

[Lady Jag]

A visiting minister waxed eloquent during the offertory prayer. "Dear Lord," he began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. "Without you we are but dust. . . "

He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter (who was listening!) leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little girl voice,
"Mom, what is butt dust?"

[Kathy in Alaska]

Just what do grown ups get from children?

Loved it!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT