04.11.2010
We went out to dinner tonight with some friends and in the restaurant was a young family with a newborn. I’m terrible at guessing children’s ages and I often play this game with myself where I try to guess the age of the child and then seeing if I’m correct by either asking the parent for the age or trying to overhear any conversation involving the child’s age.
I guessed that this baby was about 2 months and eventually, as predicted, another guest asked how old he was and the mom answered that he was 2 ½ months. Score one for me! I was acutely observing the parents and tried to see any behavior differences between mother and father. Granted, I acknowledge that this might seem incredibly odd and maybe slightly scary that I observe people so much, but it’s what I do. It’s how I assess my environment and make decisions as to what I would or would not do or what I do and do not like. I’ve always been like this. There didn’t seem anything out of the ordinary with the parents and, I have to admit, the little boy was cute.
As the parents were getting ready to leave, I watched the mom put the baby into his carrier and I caught a glimpse of what the little boy was wearing and it got me thinking about how much money it takes to have a baby.
I recently had a conversation with a friend who’s expecting her first baby this year and we agreed that, in the first year, it’s not really that expensive because so many people get you stuff in that year – especially if it’s the first child – and that there just aren’t that many expenses.
But, the glance at the clothes and the carrier got me thinking otherwise. Sure, you get a lot of stuff at the baby shower…but what about after that? Don’t babies grow super fast? I mean, I have told Rob numerous times that I would love to have our future child/ren run around naked and shoeless for the first 5 years of their life. We’d save so much money! But I’m reminded that society wouldn’t really approve of that. Plus, kids’ clothes are so darn cute. Expensive, but cute.
The kids’ market (clothes, toys, furniture, etc.) has it made. I wish I had design talent to come up with something fancy and/or catching and useful to sell cause you’re (almost) guaranteed to make it. Aren’t I arguing against the very thing I wrote about a few entries ago about teens and the market place? Sigh…as I’m currently unemployed, thinking about a successful business venture sure sounds good to me right about now.
It *could* be expensive to have a baby if you let it be, but then again, they're *babies*, they don't care what they're wearing or where they're sleeping, etc. so do what you feel like doing. It's those parents who make their child into this little showcase and have to have the latest trendy stroller and high-fashion clothes, that spend tons of cash. Secondhand stores are your friend for all the "must have" gear people think they need and then don't even use.
ReplyDeletePlus your friends will be happy to pass along their crap, I mean, their expensive used-once items, from their kids. :)
One of the greatest things I learned when I had Ava was that people who have kids WANT to give their stuff to you. They just want it out of their house. I'm the same way. Every time one of my friends, who has a younger child, comes over I'm going around the house collecting things to give them because I just want it out of my house. So the trick to having it be inexpensive is to have a friend get pregnant three months before you...you're all set then. Trust me. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, ladies! I had actually totally forgotten about that. It makes sense. Lord knows I had hand-me-downs from neighbors all through my teen years and my sister got the same. I guess it doesn't change.
ReplyDeleteWhat about all the "stuff" that babies need? The high chair, the car seat, the stroller, etc. When the kid outgrows those, do you hand those down too or, if they're still in fairly good condition, do you donate them?
We have a group of friends who are passing around some of the bigger stuff instead of storing it. For example, we borrowed Ryan & Leora's bassinette, then Kate used it, then back to R & L. Kate used our exersaucer, now Charles & Amy have it. Patty & Zach have our infant seat, after Vanessa had it last year. We'll get it back but meanwhile, it's not taking up space in our garage.
ReplyDeleteWe had way too many clothes and I tried to keep only super-nice clothes, or gender neural ones. The rest we donated. The stroller we did donate but that was because it ended up being crappy (Graco-I didn't know any better and just registered at Babies R Us, not realizing that there's a whole world of other baby products out there!)