Mom Says That Babies Aren't Expensive — 'Y'all Are Just Dramatic'
Most parents beg to differ.
Falcona / Shutterstock A mother is taking heat after sharing her unpopular opinion as a parent. She argued children are affordable, and she cannot understand why people believe that they are so expensive.
However, critics said she is living in a bubble, blissfully unaware of just how financially difficult it is for some families to raise their children.
The mom said that kids aren’t expensive and that parents who think they are are just ‘dramatic.’
The mother shared her confession in a TikTok video that has been viewed over 100,000 times.
Polina Tankilevitch / Canva Pro
After having two children, she said she came to the realization that they were not nearly as expensive as she anticipated.
“Babies aren’t expensive. Y’all are just dramatic,” she shared. “I used to hear all the time, ‘don’t have kids, they’re expensive.’ And now that I have two of my own, I’m like, wtf are you talking about?”
While this mother argued that children are inexpensive, other parents begged to differ.
Many people pointed out that since her children are still young, the mother has yet to experience the most expensive aspects of parenting.
“*Laughs in daycare and high school sports*,” one TikTok user commented.
Others believed that since the woman was a stay-at-home mother, the kids were more affordable since she did not have to spend money on childcare.
“If you’re a stay-at-home mom, then your kids aren’t expensive. But those of us who can’t afford to be a stay-at-home mom pay for childcare. I pay almost $1,200 a month for two kids,” another user shared.
Regardless of whether or not you’re a stay-at-home or working parent, most parents agree that children are expensive no matter how you slice and dice it.
“As a mom of three and a fourth on the way, it is expensive. Between birthdays, holidays, and school shopping … it can get crazy,” one user noted.
“I pay $46 for a can of formula that lasts three days … $46 every three days on top of the cost of diapers, wipes, clothes, bottles, rags, blankets, socks, milk, purified water, baby lotion. etc.,” another user commented.
According to a 2023 study by LendingTree, the nationwide average cost of raising a child in the United States totals around $21,681 annually.
The costs calculated include food, clothing, childcare, transportation, health insurance, and state tax exemptions or credits.
However, raising children goes far beyond some of these costs. At least one of your children will likely join a sports team, and you will have to pay for their uniforms, equipment, and gifts for their coaches at the end of the season.
matimix / Shutterstock
These costs do not even include the transportation fees of carpooling other team members and driving to a different location for each game.
Even if your children are not interested in sports, they will pick up some hobby that will do damage to your bank account.
Of course, education is an entirely separate bill that can take years to pay off long after your children have graduated.
It is important to note that parenting may be more expensive for some families than others, depending on their finances, jobs, the area they live in, their children’s health, and the support they have from others around them.
There’s a reason they say it takes a village to raise children.
So if you are struggling to pay for the necessities for your children and feel as if it is all too much, you are certainly not being dramatic despite what this mother said.
And you are definitely not alone. Millions of parents across the U.S. find it difficult to even put food on the table despite how hard they work.
Children are expensive, and it is okay to admit that. In fact, by being candid about the cost of parenthood, you may be helping more people prepare financially before they decide to start a family themselves.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.