The Price of a Child

As we end this day (Mother's Day), I decided to do a little research on my own. I look up the amount of money if will costs to raise a child from birth to 18 years old. For a middle income family, the govenrment has ESTIMATED $266,000. In my opinion, that's a low estimate, but nevertheless, a lot of money. That estimate doesn't include family vacations, new vehicles, college, etc. That is simply the bare minimum. Just think of everything you could do with that amount of money. Probably, pay your hosue off, buy a nice RV, go on a long vacation...For some, this large amount might confirm the decision to remain childless.

BUT, $266,000 isn't so hard to swallow if you break it down. It would look like this:

$14,777 per year

$1,231 per month

$41 a day

$1.71 per minute

Just over a dollar a minute :) Still, you might say, that's ALOT...here's my response...

There is no price tag for:

Feeling a new life move for the first time inside you.

Hearing your newborn cry for the first time and knowing everything is okay.

Counting all 10 toes and fingers for the first time.

Smelling their little head as you hold them close.

Cleaning a scraped knee.

Watching them sleep.

Getting a compliment of how well behaved they are.

Praying with them.

Getting a homemade card that says, "thank you for playing with me. You are the best"

Still sound like a lot of money? What do you get for your $266,000?

Naming rights

butterfly kisses

Hero status

glimpses of God everyday

more laughter and love than your heart can hold

you get to be Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny

endless converstaions about rocks and bugs

a partner to blow bubbles and fly kites

For $266,000 you never have to grow up. You get to fingerpaint, carve pumpkins, play hide and seek, catch lightning bugs, you have an excuse to watch cartoons, and wishing on stars.

There's no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just by getting the basketball unstuck, filling the pool with water, letting them stay up late, or cooking chocolate chip cookies. You get a front row seat to the first step, first word, first day of school, first date, first bike ride, first homerun. You get another branch added to your family tree.

You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communication, technology, business, finance, and cooking that no college can ever match. You have the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away monsters, take their tv, and love them forever. Hopefully, one day, they will love without limits and not count the costs.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!