How Much Does it Cost to Care For a Child?

June 26, 2010 By Dr. K Leave a Comment

Deciding to have a child is probably one of the most irrational decisions you will ever make…especially when it comes to finances.  They sure aren’t cheap!  But the love and the learning, the smiles and the joy….priceless indeed.  Or, are they?   The U.S.D.A. recently released its annual report on how much money Americans spend on children each year.  Why it’s the Department of Agriculture that conducts the research, I have no idea….but that’s a side note.  Point being – it costs a lot: 22% more now than it did in 1960!  And that’s adjusted for inflation!  The report shows that middle-income Americans spend an average of $222,360 to raise a child from birth to 18.  Wealthier families spend even more….which tells me that these families can (and do) spend more, not necessarily that they have to.  Another interesting finding?  American families spend, on average, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education and Money

Let’s Play! Whoever Said Learning has to be Boring…or Cost a Lot of Money?

May 15, 2010 By Dr. K Leave a Comment

It’s Saturday….let’s PLAY! It's another free activity to add to the list of educational experiences that do not cost a dime (or at least don’t demand that you dip into your life savings). We already have PRETEND PLAY on our list.  Whatever the age of your child (and you!), this is a phenomenal one – one that builds comprehension skills, strengthens working memory, and nurtures emotional coping skills.  So, a few others: 2.  Play mind games.  Riddles, crosswords, chess – they all keep the neurons firing in your brain as you figure out your next steps for success.  There are tons of fun visual-based mind games that inspire you to create shapes in your mind and put new designs in a sequential order on a piece of paper.  My friend Marilyn Walker owns Playfair Toys right here in Boulder – she’s a spectacular source of information should you need some ideas or just a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education and Money, play

FREE Courses (all in one place!)

April 20, 2010 By Dr. K Leave a Comment

I want to follow-up from yesterday's post about the Open Educational Movement by listing all relevant links in one place.  Consider this a modeling of an organizational strategy, a file cabinet of sorts.  If you know of any other ways to access useful, informative courses for FREE please do add to the list!  And of course, this a lot more "out there" in Cyberspace in regards to excellent, cutting-edge information and insights.  Take a look at my blogroll, for instance.  Tons of free content!  Next step, to personalize this list by narrowing in on what YOU want right now.  If you're not yet sure, well, you'll always have this list to come back to.  All in one place.  Enjoy!  Thank you again to Katie Hafner for compiling this list, and reviewing key tid bits in her article, Open Mind (the hard copy of which was published this past Sunday; the online version 1.5 weeks prior...evidence … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education and Money, Tuition

Free Yale Courses?!?!

April 19, 2010 By Dr. K Leave a Comment

My dad always told met that “there is no such thing as a free lunch.”  He urged me to thank people, offer a return gift, to never expect anything for nothing.  But is there such a thing as a “free education?” This Sunday’s Education Life section of the Times offered a fantastic overview of the many “free” online courses available to the public.  36 courses from Yale University, for example, with videos of lectures, syllabi with its reading lists, the professor’s Powerpoint slides.  Courses from M.I.T. as well (33 courses via video, and excerpts of over 1,900 other courses).  The article also highlighted the fact there have been over 16 million downloads of courses from the Open University in England.  That’s a lot of courses!  All for FREE. But Free for whom?  Yale has “spent” $30,000 - $40,000 per course to post it online.  I put “spent” in parenthesis … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education and Money, Tuition

The Most Horrible ‘Aye’ Vote Ever Cast

March 26, 2010 By Dr. K Leave a Comment

Ever have to do something you really don’t want to do – but have to, given the circumstances? Of course. The Colorado State Senate just did, too. The least-liked bill of the Spring Session is all about money.  More specifically, it’s about cutting the state budget earmarked to education. The same week I read about Harvard increasing its tuition by 3.8%, I opened up my e-mail to find that Colorado decreased its financial support of education by 6.3%. And this was not a wheeling and dealing, go-through-the-back-doors-to-get-a-bill passed scenario.  The senators voted 8-0 in approval of House Bill 10-1369. They didn’t want to. “This is the most horrible aye [vote] I’ve ever cast,” said Senator Evie Hudak of Westminster. The prime sponsor of the measure, Senator Bob Bacon, added, “I think someone needs to say it’s a sad day when we’re cutting education.” Sad … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education and Money Tagged With: Class Size, Public Funding
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