The Price of Children.....SO True

[justinsmom]

The Price of Children
>
> This is just too good not to pass on to all. Something absolutely
positive for a change. I have repeatedly seen 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.
>
> 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!
> * 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
> * 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!!!!!!!
>
> Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren
>
>
>
> May your troubles be less;
> Your blessings more;
> And nothing but happiness
> come through your door!