Why do children get MORE expensive as they get older?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do think it's one of those things people exaggerate -- the same way they'll claim "the newborn phase is SO MUCH easier than having a 5 year old" My foot! I can't imagine a more expensive phase of life than when I had a baby and I was paying $2200 for nanny share, medical costs, baby stuff, diapers, hypoallergenic formula PLUS tons of money on breastfeeding/pumping supplies, White House Nannies to cover sick days when I just couldn't take off work, etc etc.

Now that we are just about to shake off daycare costs as we enter into kindergarten, we are planning to put a big chunk of that savings into the 529 for college. So our budget won't necessarily change all that much, but it's much different to be voluntarily saving than having those incredible expenses of the first year or two.

You seem to have an exceptionally expensive infant phase, but most folks are comparing daycare years to later years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Travel sport $100/month
Piano - $100/month
Aftercare -$400/month
Tutoring -$100/month
Swim lessons $100/month

Summer camps can be $500/week for a good quality camp (not just babysitting) -- average over year that's $400/month, but you don't pay aftercare those months.

The things like travel needing two hotel rooms, bigger cars, etc.

Again, there's no requirement to put your kid in 4 after-school activities!! Geez.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see this all the time too. I get it - they eat more, clothing is more expensive, and activities plus before care/aftercare - however, I still have a hard time believing I'll be paying as much as daycare.

Me again, not to mention breastfeeding supplies, formula when my supply inevitably drops when I go back to work, wipes and diapers!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Travel sport $100/month
Piano - $100/month
Aftercare -$400/month
Tutoring -$100/month
Swim lessons $100/month

Summer camps can be $500/week for a good quality camp (not just babysitting) -- average over year that's $400/month, but you don't pay aftercare those months.

The things like travel needing two hotel rooms, bigger cars, etc.

Again, there's no requirement to put your kid in 4 after-school activities!! Geez.

(and also, $800/month is still about 1/3 of what I spend on childcare for my kid through 5 years old.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My elementary boys go through sneakers in about 5 weeks. Grocery bill over $300/week. Spring sports enrollment cost over a thousand dollars (plus cost of equipment). New golf clubs last week for one kid, orthodontia coming up for two kids, one week of full day camp for the summer for all three was over a thousand dollars. We aren't even into cell phones yet. Plane rides to visit grandparents, every time we vacation it's 5 flights and a suite or two hotel rooms. 5 lift tickets. I mean- you really can't imagine how expensive life with kids is if you continue to be active.

Yeah well if you are unlimited in how you spend money, I suppose life doesn't get any cheaper. For those of us who don't vacation frequently, ski, or buy our kids golf clubs, life is a little more financially manageable. We're talking about the inelastic expenses (like childcare, diapers, formula), not golf clubs for your 10 year old.

Then your kids will pay in long run bc not being good at golf will hurt their business success...

I kid, but also a grain of truth here -- people do all this activities for the betterment of their kids future not just idleness.

[Anonymous]

Maybe the people who say that didn't have kids in daycare? My kids weren't ever in daycare (I was a SAHM during their younger years) so I'd say that statement is true for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do think it's one of those things people exaggerate -- the same way they'll claim "the newborn phase is SO MUCH easier than having a 5 year old" My foot! I can't imagine a more expensive phase of life than when I had a baby and I was paying $2200 for nanny share, medical costs, baby stuff, diapers, hypoallergenic formula PLUS tons of money on breastfeeding/pumping supplies, White House Nannies to cover sick days when I just couldn't take off work, etc etc.

Now that we are just about to shake off daycare costs as we enter into kindergarten, we are planning to put a big chunk of that savings into the 529 for college. So our budget won't necessarily change all that much, but it's much different to be voluntarily saving than having those incredible expenses of the first year or two.

You seem to have an exceptionally expensive infant phase, but most folks are comparing daycare years to later years.

2000k+/month is pretty standard for infant care in DC. Although in DC the costs do go down for preschool, I hear that they don't in MoCo and VA. It's also pretty common not to have paid maternity leave. I think my costs were pretty normal for DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My elementary boys go through sneakers in about 5 weeks. Grocery bill over $300/week. Spring sports enrollment cost over a thousand dollars (plus cost of equipment). New golf clubs last week for one kid, orthodontia coming up for two kids, one week of full day camp for the summer for all three was over a thousand dollars. We aren't even into cell phones yet. Plane rides to visit grandparents, every time we vacation it's 5 flights and a suite or two hotel rooms. 5 lift tickets. I mean- you really can't imagine how expensive life with kids is if you continue to be active.

No offense intended pp, but this is really a classic DCUM response. People at all income levels need quality daycare. Not everyone has kids who will golf and ski.

[Anonymous]

Well if that's the question, no, they don't wear diapers anymore. Yeah, they eat more food. But most of us on this board DO vacation or play sports or instruments or whatever, so of course we don't live by "bare basics"- our kids do things. We didn't pay for daycare as we have a SAHP, so life is way more expensive than when they were breastfed and wore cloth diapers.


But yes, we wouldn't live a lifestyle that we couldn't afford.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Travel sport $100/month
Piano - $100/month
Aftercare -$400/month
Tutoring -$100/month
Swim lessons $100/month

Summer camps can be $500/week for a good quality camp (not just babysitting) -- average over year that's $400/month, but you don't pay aftercare those months.

The things like travel needing two hotel rooms, bigger cars, etc.

Again, there's no requirement to put your kid in 4 after-school activities!! Geez.

Swimming is a life and safety skill

There is one sport and one music lesson.

Tutoring is bc of deficiencies in their reading skills that teacher recommends we work on.

I don't pretend I am raising the next tiger woods but these are investments in the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My elementary boys go through sneakers in about 5 weeks. Grocery bill over $300/week. Spring sports enrollment cost over a thousand dollars (plus cost of equipment). New golf clubs last week for one kid, orthodontia coming up for two kids, one week of full day camp for the summer for all three was over a thousand dollars. We aren't even into cell phones yet. Plane rides to visit grandparents, every time we vacation it's 5 flights and a suite or two hotel rooms. 5 lift tickets. I mean- you really can't imagine how expensive life with kids is if you continue to be active.

Yeah well if you are unlimited in how you spend money, I suppose life doesn't get any cheaper. For those of us who don't vacation frequently, ski, or buy our kids golf clubs, life is a little more financially manageable. We're talking about the inelastic expenses (like childcare, diapers, formula), not golf clubs for your 10 year old.

Then your kids will pay in long run bc not being good at golf will hurt their business success...

I kid, but also a grain of truth here -- people do all this activities for the betterment of their kids future not just idleness.

Oh yes, I'm sure Larlo's orthodonia, golf game, and ski trips will set him up for life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well if that's the question, no, they don't wear diapers anymore. Yeah, they eat more food. But most of us on this board DO vacation or play sports or instruments or whatever, so of course we don't live by "bare basics"- our kids do things. We didn't pay for daycare as we have a SAHP, so life is way more expensive than when they were breastfed and wore cloth diapers.


But yes, we wouldn't live a lifestyle that we couldn't afford.

A SAHP is a far more expensive luxury than anything else on this list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Travel sport $100/month
Piano - $100/month
Aftercare -$400/month
Tutoring -$100/month
Swim lessons $100/month

Summer camps can be $500/week for a good quality camp (not just babysitting) -- average over year that's $400/month, but you don't pay aftercare those months.

The things like travel needing two hotel rooms, bigger cars, etc.

Again, there's no requirement to put your kid in 4 after-school activities!! Geez.

Swimming is a life and safety skill

There is one sport and one music lesson.

Tutoring is bc of deficiencies in their reading skills that teacher recommends we work on.

I don't pretend I am raising the next tiger woods but these are investments in the kids.

Even so, those costs are still a fraction of what the average DC mom pays for infant/toddler care. An no, no kid really needs travel sports, piano, tutoring, and swim lessons all at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My elementary boys go through sneakers in about 5 weeks. Grocery bill over $300/week. Spring sports enrollment cost over a thousand dollars (plus cost of equipment). New golf clubs last week for one kid, orthodontia coming up for two kids, one week of full day camp for the summer for all three was over a thousand dollars. We aren't even into cell phones yet. Plane rides to visit grandparents, every time we vacation it's 5 flights and a suite or two hotel rooms. 5 lift tickets. I mean- you really can't imagine how expensive life with kids is if you continue to be active.

No offense intended pp, but this is really a classic DCUM response. People at all income levels need quality daycare. Not everyone has kids who will golf and ski.

This is a quality daycare conversation? I thought Op wanted to know what got expensive when their kids got older.

[Anonymous]

I guess the question is, how much older? My 7 year (almost 8) old second grader is much less expensive now than he was when we had to pay for daycare and diapers, even though he's in aftercare and goes to camp. But I guess the situation could easily change when he's 10, 12, or 15.