Expensive kids
The myth is that children are expensive - and others treat them as "investments" to try to justify them. But why the calculations? Why the number crunching? Isn't this about love, family and building a home team?
What if your parents pulled out a calculator and decided they couldn't afford you - oh, you'd be in trouble then :)
Debunking the myth - children are not really expensive. It is your lifestyle that might have to change - lower your expectations, go for cheaper food and clothes, watch less movies and so on. When people say that having children is too expensive, what I think they really mean is I do not want to sacrifice my lifestyle to have little monsters eating up my time, money and energy.
What do you need to buy? Diapers? Milk powder? Clothes? Where do you need to send them? Infant-care? Playschool? Nursery? There are options, cheap, so-so and expensive. The choices are there and there is money to be spent and saved. Grandparents also come in handy :)
Bottom line is that if the yearning for a child exists, there will be a way. No doubt we can't live on love and fresh-air, but our maker will provide, in one way or other. Or perhaps, our feelings of commitment and responsibility for our new families will spur us on to provide for our young in ways that we never foresaw.
Our children are our present and future, love and nurture them.
What if your parents pulled out a calculator and decided they couldn't afford you - oh, you'd be in trouble then :)
Debunking the myth - children are not really expensive. It is your lifestyle that might have to change - lower your expectations, go for cheaper food and clothes, watch less movies and so on. When people say that having children is too expensive, what I think they really mean is I do not want to sacrifice my lifestyle to have little monsters eating up my time, money and energy.
What do you need to buy? Diapers? Milk powder? Clothes? Where do you need to send them? Infant-care? Playschool? Nursery? There are options, cheap, so-so and expensive. The choices are there and there is money to be spent and saved. Grandparents also come in handy :)
Bottom line is that if the yearning for a child exists, there will be a way. No doubt we can't live on love and fresh-air, but our maker will provide, in one way or other. Or perhaps, our feelings of commitment and responsibility for our new families will spur us on to provide for our young in ways that we never foresaw.
Our children are our present and future, love and nurture them.