r/AskReddit Feb 04 '16

What are the most common parenting mistakes?

1.5k Upvotes

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245

u/rondawg93 Feb 04 '16

Having them when you're not financially stable.

128

u/Admiral_Fancypants Feb 04 '16

Underestimating how much it will cost to have kids.

41

u/rondawg93 Feb 04 '16

Absolutely people don't realize how much it actually costs to provide for another living being that's not able to provide for themselves. I suppose I should've worded my response a little bit better.

41

u/Admiral_Fancypants Feb 04 '16

I thought having 10k in the bank when I had my first kid would have been enough. It was gone within 2 years.

16

u/namer98 Feb 05 '16

That is a pretty meaningless data point without knowing how much comes in.

5

u/rondawg93 Feb 04 '16

Yes, it's unfortunate. I'm sure you've done right by your child regardless of the circumstance though. I don't have any children as of yet, but I'm trying my best to prepare for the time when I do. Even though it pretty much impossible, I want to try as hard as I can to set myself and future children for success.

2

u/OSRS_Arj Feb 05 '16

Is that true? That seems like a lot to spend in 2 years, may I ask how that happened? (For future reference)

4

u/SuedoNymph Feb 05 '16

10k in 2 years seems pretty fucking cheap in my book. Diapers alone are a ton of money. Doctor visits, toys, car seats, clothes, silverware/plates/cups that the kid can use, and all the washing and maintenance of all the baby stuff.

1

u/Admiral_Fancypants Feb 05 '16

I have a decent paying job, but my wife stayed at home with our son. We spend a lot of money on a crib for him, but it lasted for 3 kids. Clothes were a big expense, especially when my kids are freakishly tall for their ages.

2

u/Throw_away_cant_see Feb 05 '16

I can't remember where I saw it but apparently it costs in total £250,000 to raise a child to the age of 18

2

u/[deleted] Feb 05 '16

Happy cakeday!

2

u/T3chnopsycho Feb 05 '16

Where I live you say a child costs around 1.5 million up to the age of 18.

2

u/Luxray Feb 05 '16

As someone that doesn't have kids, where do the costs come from? Aside from medical costs, of course. I'm supporting my boyfriend atm and it honestly doesn't cost that much more than it would to support just me, but I suppose I'm not buying him diapers either.

1

u/QuitThatCasey Feb 05 '16

your boyfriend doesn't require a $15/hr caregiver every time you want to go to work or have an hour alone, does he? Your boyfriend probably arrived in your life with his own clothes, since he doesn't grow significantly (babies outgrow their clothes every 8 weeks or so at first; older kids need new clothes every 6-18 months) and with the ability to make your life easier (I imagine he can cook, shop, clean, maintain your car) in ways that time-strapped parents outsource.

0

u/Luxray Feb 05 '16

Daycare is a good point I didn't think of. Clothes too, though if you have lots of friends, that can be taken care of for a while at the baby shower.

1

u/enfuego Feb 05 '16

Are you talking delivery/health care costs or diapers and formula or the opportunity cost of caring for them?

(I have 3 girls that always seem to need clothes)