Do you ever have a moment of panic when About This Page:

[mrsmaup]

You start thinking about all the major upcoming costs in your life regarding your children?!LOL!! I lived in a fantasy world of denial until this year. Brooke is 6 years away from being the same age I was when I got married. Besides giving my husband heart failure thinking about his little girl actually living w/anyone besides us, I started thinking about PAYING for a wedding! That got me started thinking about paying for 2 sets of medically necessary braces in the next 4 years. Then paying for 2 cars, then paying for college and weddings.

YIKES! To think at one time it was paying for diapers that kept us up at night!LOL!! GIVE ME THE PAMPERS AGAIN!!!!

[luvnwdwgal]

There are times when all I can do at night is lie in bed and think about how we're going to come up with the money for stuff! It drives me nuts!!

[Irene]

Think abou tthat stuff all the time. Especially in an environment where the jobs can go away whenever.

[nightengale1824]

I can sure understand where you are coming from. I have a daughter that is only three years from the age when I got married and is currently going through some serious mouth work$$$$$$$$$. I also have two other daughters that are not far behind. While I don't want diapers back I certainly have had a few sleepless nights thinking of all of the $$$$$$$$ I am about to spend . Here is lots of for all of us on the road to the poorhouse for the sakes of our children. I would not trade it for the world.

[loobyoxlip]

Next year will be the first year I have 2 kids in elementary school and the thought of putting Jalen on a bus just makes me weepy. Kylor has always been so mature for his age, I knew he wouldn't have a problem, but Jalen is a different story. More school activites, more plays, more concerts. I really can't wait - in a sad way.

[kimdisneynut]

Ditto, I stay up many of nights, every month when I write DS school note, I think about college and cars etc. I cry at the thought of it.

Kim

[patty c.]

I know what you mean, we're coming up on our second child with braces, which seems bad enough. But the other day DD#1 was describing her Disney wedding plans to her father (she's 15 but has it all planned - sans Prince Charming). He asked how much this was going to cost and I told him a Disney Wedding with the Pavillion and carriage and whole shebang costs $40,000. He told DD she'd better reconsider, but the average costs of a wedding is still $12,000. (Of course, he uses this dad leverage to stress that these types of weddings are for VIRGINS to which she rolls her eyes, again.) I'm also starting to really wonder about the cost of out-state college tuition. DD#2 is so set on going to ASU, but I just don't see the point of going out-state when you're not going into a highly specialized field. I remember thinking potty training and the terrible two's were hard! It's just a whole different set of trials - but it sure is great to see them grow up and start thinking about these things.

[simbarel]

I have no kids so this kind of stuff doesn't wake me in the middle of the night (yet) but mention "wedding" and I'll jump in. I just wanted to say that Wally and I are not rich folk by any means, but we're able to pull off the wedding we want because of connections. We've discovered that out of all the people we know, we've been able to get a dressmaker, photographer, music (live and dj), karaoke, hall space, catering, trinkets, gorgeous high-quality invitations, tables and seating, discounted tuxedo rentals, microbrew kegs, arranged flowers at cost, hairdressing, etc. all ranging in prices from DIRT CHEAP to NOTHING. I know your DD wants a Scottish wedding--and c'mon who wouldn't --and that the thought of it all is overwhelming (not to mention all the other expenses you mentioned) but in times of need, your friends and family generally want to help. Tap the resources, they want to be tapped!

Now unfortunately...neither of us know anyone in the shoe business, so I had to go cheap. Where there's no connection, go cheap. When the kids start driving, buy the dependable 1989 VW--the price tag is low, but the car is still cool! You can't lose! Of course there'll be other big bills you can't avoid (even us childless folks have them) and that's when life gets poopy. I just wanted to mention that all lack-of-money woes don't need to be so daunting. You'll make it through it all ok, I know it!

[rescuesk]

We already went through the braces and the first car, we are in the middle of college, and let's not even talk about the amount of food this child can eat!! It never seems to stop, and I thought it was bad when he was younger! I try not to let it get to me, or else I would never get any sleep.

Sue

[gym mom]

Trisha is a Junior in HS, so she is 1 1/2 years from college. She wants to go out of state to Oregon State. Out of state tuition is enough to make me gasp. We need to keep her focused on school, so she can make it there. Boys are a real bother!

Kyle just got braces in September, but we are still 3 1/2 away from college for him.

Stress with children stays throughout parenthood. The kind of stress just changes through the years.

Jennifer

[nanajoyx2]

My DH and I have been through it all - the braces, the cars, college tuition for DS and DD and 2 weddings (yes we paid for DS's wedding). The best day of our financial lives was when we paid DD's last tuition bill. I also wondered how we would get through it, but we did and now we are enjoying, and spending our money on, our 4 grandsons (#5 is due later this month). Trust me, just take it one step at a time. The hardest time for us was when both of our children were in college.

[Dumbo]

Just take everything as it comes. In state college is cheaper than out of state. There are many forms of financial aid to help with the cost. Don't leave any stone unturned there. Both our DSs have mega college loans to pay off. As for the first car, make them get a job even if it's only a summer job to help pay for the car.

Don't wish your children into college or marriage. Enjoy the time you have with them. They'll be grown and out of the house before you're ready.

[lkmom]

My children are still young, but doesn't it seem that you can figure out where the money is when you need it? I remember my car, college, wedding days, and my parents - very working class - managed it all. I took student loans, and paid them off in a reasonable amount of time. I even was able to pay for my own Master's degree while paying off the loans by living at home (God bless my parents!) As I said, my kids are young, but we pay for private school, etc., and I don't work. It all does work out in the end!

[Kerrya]

we all want are childern to be better off then we were. and a lot of times we go without so that they may have.But when I got married my mom and I had a lot of fun looking for cheep ways around things. Got my wedding dress from the salvation army store ($25.00) payed $ 100.00 to have it cleand we told everone it was a family dress ( we just did not know whos family lol). and this to this day is a joke we share. now both DD want to where this dress. Best 25 bucks I ever spent. But I also had student loans and I would like both girls to not go thru that. so we go with out