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Showing posts from November, 2014

The Kid Handicap

How much does having children affect net wealth? "You're so lucky you don't have to pay for childcare." "I bet you're glad you don't have to pay for [baby car seats] [nappies] [gynecologists]." "I could retire like you if it weren't for the kids." Yours truly is tired of the assumption that his wealth is due to being child-free. Although children imply expense, they do not as such prevent saving. And yet, the sheer weight behind the 'children are expensive' narrative stifles me. The latest beat-up on spiraling costs is this News Corp piece in which the authors bemoan breaking proof that child-rearing in Australia is costlier than in even America. Parenting dreams shattered. Children out of reach. Oh boo hoo.