Some fun, and some encouragement

The fun to start; here's a Pioneer-Press article that points out that child care costs more in Minnesota costs more than elsewhere, and then recommends more government aid to solve the problem. Apparently, the study didn't consider the fact that we're already spending a lot to support child care here, and that it might be causing, not solving, the problem of expensive child care.

And for young parents; the cost of two kids in daycare here is about 20 grand. To break even after taxes, transportation, and such, one must earn at least 30 thousand dollars annually. Ouch.

But here's some encouragement related to yesterday's post; don't sweat Valentine's Day. Now the discouragement; if your relationships key on one day, you're already losing the battle. If you wife can sing (with Da Yoopers) "I'm married to a couch that burps and talks to the TV. The last time he took me out was 1963....", then you have some serious problems. Get her her roses today, but don't fail to make her some pancakes or Kaiserschmarrn tomorrow and the day after.

And if she works and you have kids, do the calculation of how much you're really taking home by putting your kids in daycare. It's probably less than you think, and may even be negative.