THE COST OF KIDS 

I have seen repeatedly 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, really nice! 

Still, you might think the best financial advice says don't have 
children if you want to be "rich." It is just the opposite. What do your 
get for your $ ? 

Naming rights,--- 
First, middle, and last! 

Glimpses of God everyday. 

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 jam. 

A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sand castles, 
and skipping down the sidewalk in the pouring rain. 

Someone to laugh yourself silly with no matter what the boss said or 
how your stocks performed that day. 

For your $ 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 Land, 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. 

There is no greater boom/bang for your buck. 

You get to be a hero just for retrieving a Frisbee off the garage 
roof, taking the training wheels off the 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. 

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 with 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. 

ENJOY YOUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS!!!!!!!

Photo -Iowa Sunset

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