The cost of living is a major concern for many Americans, including those who live in North Carolina. The average American family is having fewer children, and the average cost of child care is around $9,200 per year. Many of the people who raise questions and send emails the “In Depth With Dan” segment with WRAL anchor/reporter Dan Haggerty want to talk about how costly it is to simply get by. The overwhelming cost of living can be stressful, cause anxiety and make people feel helpless. A group of people known as D.I.N.K.s (dual-income, no kids) think they’ve got a part of it figured it out. Several have gone on social media to explain their spending habits without having to worry about the cost of having children.
In December 2023, The Atlantic published a story called “The Great Cousin Decline.” It reveals that couples are having fewer kids. With fewer children per family, it means fewer cousins too. World Bank data shows the average American family had 3.65 children in 1960 compared to about 1.64 children per family in 2020.
Sociologists blame the declining birth rate on a variety of factors, like the decline in mom-and-pop businesses. People often had kids so they could help run the business. There’s also the emergence of birth control pills. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA] first approved the birth control pill in May 1960. In July 2023, the FDA approved the birth control pill to be available over the counter. Birth control access can lead to fewer unplanned pregnancies. When the National Center for Health Statistics looked at the decline in family size, one of the top reasons people gave for having smaller families wasn’t access to birth control. It was the cost.
State data shows the average cost for child care is around $9,200 per year. A WRAL News viewer named Keith said his day care bill for two children will be more than $36,000 per year. A 2020 study from the Berkley School of Business found 78% of millennials and 73% of Gen Xers are dual-career couples, meaning both people work full time.
While this statistic demonstrates wonderful advancements in equity, equality and opportunity in the workplace, it also omits some unforeseen ripples to the American dream. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, and her daughter, businesswoman Amelia Warren Tyagi, wrote a book released in 2004 entitled “The Two-Income Trap, Why Middle-Class Parents Are Going Broke.”
Full Story: www.wral.com/s...
Subscribe to WRAL:
/ wral5
Follow WRAL:
Facebook: / wraltv
X: / wral
IG: / wral
About WRAL-TV:
WRAL is your Raleigh, North Carolina news source. Check out our videos for the latest news in Raleigh, local sports, Raleigh weather, and more at WRAL.com
#localnews #northcarolina #opinion
7 сен 2024
