U.S. birth rate falls for 4th year in a row

[Ultralight]

I think it's OK for someone to post about her disapproval of the student loan forgiveness program, but not OK for someone to bash a specific person who may be part of that program. Just like it's OK to to express disapproval about Trump and his policies, but not OK to call Alan names because he may vote for him.

Valid point. I stand corrected.

[ToomuchStuff]

My 40 something kids ....

I read that and laughed, thinking, you were busy. How many turkeys at Thanksgiving would that need?

[pinkytoe]

I was shocked to hear how much DD will have to pay for childcare for her twins coming up.

[catherine]

I was shocked to hear how much DD will have to pay for childcare for her twins coming up.

I know. My son/DIL have two children, and they are totally struggling. (Before people get too judgmental, i.e. "They should have thought of that before they had another", they had to go IVF with the first and were totally gobsmacked--and thrilled--by the second). I so wish I could have retired by now and offered to help them out at least 2 days a week. I'm sure their daycare expenses are twice their mortgage payment.

[iris lilies]

I know. My son/DIL have two children, and they are totally struggling. (Before people get too judgmental, i.e. "They should have thought of that before they had another", they had to go IVF with the first and were totally gobsmacked--and thrilled--by the second). I so wish I could have retired by now and offered to help them out at least 2 days a week. I'm sure their daycare expenses are twice their mortgage payment.

A major problem with grandma providing childcare only a couple days a week is that childcare facilities want a commitment to five days a week and they can easily get it, so grandmas who do only patrial care kinda screw it up. So dont feel bad!

[catherine]

A major problem with grandma providing childcare only a couple days a week is that childcare facilities want a commitment to five days a week and they can easily get it, so grandmas who do only patrial care kinda screw it up. So dont feel bad!

Yeah, I know. Kind of a bummer, but in my case, it does make me feel better. But when my kids were small and I was paying for daycare, I felt it was such a bummer that I had to a) give up my kids to a caregiver all day and b) I had pay for that "privilege" It felt like a double whammy. All I wanted to do was stay home with my kids.

[Teacher Terry]

Catherine, even if they are struggling now one day they won’t be and a wanted child is worth more than anything else. The daycare years will pass. I was lucky to be able to stay home until my kids were school aged and most of my friends did the same. We were frugal and went without material things but it was so worth it. On Mr. MM there is a thread on people that are trying to have kids, using IVF and when people really want kids they are willing to do whatever it takes.

[catherine]

On Mr. MM there is a thread on people that are trying to have kids, using IVF and when people really want kids they are willing to do whatever it takes.

Yes, my son/DIL did whatever it took via IVF, and GDD was a happy surprise. I was not able to stay at home all the time when my kids were young. I cobbled together jobs like family daycare and painting soft-sculpture and freelance writing and doing Mary Kay but at the end of the day it was my serendipitous entree into market research that saved the day. By that time my kids were already 14-22 years old. Life was not easy, but it worked out.

[flowerseverywhere]

I read that and laughed, thinking, you were busy. How many turkeys at Thanksgiving would that need?

Perfect reason not to believe everything you read on the internet. Especially in a thread. about the birth rate falling.

that would be far from the record

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List...gamous_couples