My Children Need College Not Toys

Nicole Burge
Sep 7, 2018 · 2 min read

Growing up, Christmas and my birthday was THE BEST! I would patiently wait all year long for those special days. They came twice a year and my were they good.

Being a parent, I thought my children would feel the same way that I did. I couldn’t wait until they got old enough to get the best gifts for them on those two special days. Except that I can’t, even if I wanted to.

Our family spoils our children. And I appreciate it. I really do. I love that my children can ask for any gift and, before you know it, it appears somewhere in our house.

As the piles of toys slowly spill into all of the rooms of our house and the attention of my children focused almost exclusively on their tablets and Alexa, I’m wondering, what’s the point?

Every other day, there’s an article discussing the crippling college debt of our younger generations. Graduates have to move back home because they cannot afford rent. Graduates unable to invest in a home because student loan debt is more than their income.

It doesn’t look like it’s stopping anytime soon.

As each of these lovely gifts come into the house, I can’t help but start to count the dollars that could be invested in my childrens’ college education. For one child,

Tablet — $200
Dolls — $50
Play Kitchen (plus accessories) — $200
Games — $100
Clothes — $500
Drone — $250
Guitar — $150

That’s just one year and not from me.

Since toys are so cheap (comparatively) and people are having less children, the amount spent per child is increasing.

According to Forbes, parents will spend almost $500 per child on Christmas alone. If you use the principal of compounding interest, even with the abysmal interest rates, and the fact that you can lock in current tuition rates, you can save over $8,000 for college if you just pivot your spending.

I get it. You’re feeling like you want to be able to give something that the kid can enjoy NOW!

Stop it!

Ask the parents what they need because honestly, the kids don’t care and don’t remember who anything is from within a couple of days.

So, if you really love the child, put some money away for college. Hopefully the parents set up an account. If not, you can do so yourself.

Believe me, the college fund will be great relief to the child and the parent when the time comes.

Nicole Burge

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Musings of a wife and mother… being the odd one out in the crowd.