Kid's Are EXPENSIVE!!!

As the end of the schoolyear wraps up June 15th, I cannot believe how costly everything has become! Most school or children's programs make you pay June expenses in December (during the worst time of the year due to the Christmas holiday) or upfront in September to ensure you don't skip out on them and "forget" to write the check at the end of the school year. Anyhoo, we only have one child in school but both of them are involved in two activities each. My daughter is in Pre-K 3 (when I think she should be in Pre-K 4...blasted birthday cutoff is December 1 and her b-day is December 23) and she also dances. My son's weekly activities include music class and private swim lessons. Oh, I can't forget my daughter's soccer team with practice mid week and games on Saturday. This is what has been flowing out of our pockets as of late:

End of school year expenses

Dance photos - Approx. $75 (or based on how cute they turned out)
Soccer photos - $53
Soccer Coach gift - $10 (this expense wasn't included in the original post, but we received an email late last night) Teacher gift - $6
Class picnic - $6
Recital tickets - $60 for 3 tix
Dance tshirt $15
Summer Camp $250
Preschool video $15 (total tear jerker!)
Dance program ads $75.00 (optional but I HAVE to have my daughter's photo in the book)

Total end of year expenses - $565.00 (hope my hubby doesn't go into shock when he reads this)




Music Together Video

Yes, kids are expensive but you definitely want them exposed to certain things. They're like sponges at this age and before their attitudes surface and not want to do anything, we want to encourage them to try various activities now.

The activities they are currently participate in coincide with the school year, so everything ends at the same time. Yay, one would think but on the contrary this isn't always the case. Well, that just means that we have to enroll them in summer activities to keep them active and from driving me nuts. We have a trial class for my son at My Little Gym lined up this week which I know he'll love. After taking the music class for the last year I feel he should something more physical and different since he likes to climb on everything. We enrolled my daughter in a pre-reading program at a local community college. I personally would love for her to be moved up a grade because she is extremely bright and could possibly have a photographic memory. Wouldn't that be awesome to have that trait?

To calculate how much your child will cost, click here. Make sure someone is with you in case you pass out.