Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Magic Comes With a Price.

Magic comes with a price is a common saying on one of my favorite TV shows, Once Upon a Time. As a parent, I believe I've seen magic at least and at best, prove of God's existence, four times in my life. All my children were born by C-section which means beautiful babies by any one's standards. No misshapen heads or abrasions from the trauma of birth. New parents worry about those fragile little bodies but the real worries come along when they get older. Once they walk out of that umbrella of 24/7 protection the parents learn the real measure of worry.

My Old Farmer's Almanac shared this stat for today as if they read my mind. Typically, A baby caused its parents to lose between 400 and 750 hours of sleep the first year. That's taking a year or so off those parents' lives. Last week the latest estimate of the cost of raising a child were released. According to this article in USA today, it cost $245, 340 dollars to raise a child to age 18. If you're like us and also help them through college, you're looking at some big bucks. But not a parent in the world would trade their little bundles of magic for that money.

As my children grow and go off on their own, I don't feel any loneliness in an 'empty nest' way. I worry that they're so far from my protection. They're smart, responsible people but that doesn't help me sleep at night. My youngest son is across the country in Colorado. The son with a heart condition. Early tomorrow morning my daughter leaves for a semester of study in Morocco. As she sat at the kitchen table with me practicing her Arabic, I felt my hair turning gray. Yes, it's a safe country, relatively. But it's way over there.

I remember giving my parents a needlepoint picture I made when I left home and moved hours away from them. It said the two most important things we can give our children are roots and wings. Tomorrow another one flies away.

Are you shocked at the price to raise a child today? Do you think the numbers of hours parents lose in that first year is accurate? Can you tell me something good about Morocco?

10 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Your kids will be all right. I'm sure they got your sensibility.
We don't have kids. Why aren't we millionaires?

Tyrean Martinson said...

Wow. I'm a little shocked, but I shouldn't be. My kids have only taken tiny little flights with their wings (they aren't that college age quite yet), but thanks to friends and family, I'm seeing that long flight coming. I don't know if there's any way to be ready for that different kind of concern.
I've heard Morocco is beautiful. :)

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Susan .. yes kids cost! Still they delight too and I'd like to have one or two .. but missed that deadline!

Morocco - delicious food, beautiful country, your daughter will learn loads about Africa, different cultures, different flora and fauna ... the Atlas mountains .. the Med ... and Spain across the isthmus ..

I've always wanted to visit! Cheers Hilary

Crystal Collier said...

I'm very much dreading that stage where they head into the big bad world on their own. Oh boy. Only a couple years left to get them ready...

Liz Blocker said...

I'm going to bury my head in the sand and pretend that price is about 10% of itself, because otherwise I'll never have children and I do very much want them!

I love how you equated magic and children, here, and the price you pay for both. Beautifully said.

Christine Rains said...

I lost a ton of sleep that first year with my son. And yup, it's that expensive to raise a child. Frightening in a way. And that's just the price of the necessities!

Pat Hatt said...

Damn, no wonder those people with 10 kids make reality tv shows, they need the dough haha

Luanne G. Smith said...

Mine just started his last year of high school. Sigh. I think he's going to stay at home for college, but already he is busy with work and school so that I rarely see him. He's my only one, so it's gonna be tough when he moves out. :(

JJ said...

I visited Morocco on a trip to Spain years ago. It is a great way to learn about that culture in safety. They will be just fine.

cleemckenzie said...

I'm not sure I could raise kids today, but that's probably because having done it once seems enough. I don't know how families cope, but I do know there's a scramble for scholarships in our family.