CNBC’s ‘Children Cost Too Much’ Story Sparks Major Backlash

A CNBC story touting the cost savings of not having children sparked a major backlash over the weekend, with parents on Facebook and Twitter writing personals testimonies about the blessings of childrearing. 

The story’s original title read, “You can save half a million dollars if you don’t have kids,” although it eventually was changed to a slightly less offensive, “Here’s how much you save when you don’t have kids.”

The story’s arguments reflected the headline. 

“Your friends may tell you having kids has made them happier,” it read. “They’re probably lying. Research shows that parenthood leads to a happiness gap. Maybe that’s because the pleasures of parenthood are outweighed by all the extra responsibilities, housework and, of course, the costs. Maybe that’s why Americans are having fewer children than ever before. Just how much can you expect to save if you don’t have kids?”

The story asserted that in the years between a child’s birth and his or her 18th birthday, parents will spend $467,000. 

“If you don’t have kids, in short, you’ll save a lot of money,” the author, Yoni Blumberg, wrote.

It ended with a nod to the other side of the argument: Childless parents may spend all their money in the nursing home when “there is no around to take care of you.” Still, parents on social media felt the story was over the top…