Comment by kelnos

Comment by kelnos 3 days ago

So that's fine then? A family of four with both parents working at $23.66/hr each is $3.87/hr above that level.

Unless you're saying "starvation wage" and "living wage" are the same thing, which I don't think is a reasonable characterization.

Only problem is if they decide to have a third kid, or if you have a single parent with one or more kids. And while I get that unforeseen things happen to people that lower their wages after they already have their kids, I'm also tired of people becoming parents without considering the financial aspects ahead of time. If you're making minimum wage and are barely surviving, don't have kids until you're on steadier ground.

autobodie 2 days ago

> I'm also tired of people becoming parents without considering the financial aspects ahead of time. If you're making minimum wage and are barely surviving, don't have kids until you're on steadier ground.

Young is abolutely the best age to have kids. Ask biology.

If you want a society (I do) then you want a society that supports people having children.

If you want a healthy society (I do) then you want a society that supports people having children at a young age.

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Dylan16807 2 days ago

While I agree, you've gone way off topic now, though. Because supporting them would be... something like a job that pays $23.66 per hour.

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joshSzep 2 days ago

I’ve been thinking about how modern family structures seem increasingly misaligned with what our biology and history may have prepared us for. It seems likely that nature "intended" families to be multigenerational, larger clan-like units linked by shared responsibility, proximity, and care.
Modern norms have instead left many parents effectively on their own, juggling full-time work with full-time childcare. If multigenerational living were normalized, the retired could help raise the kids while the working adults focus on providing. That setup allows for more quality time rather than burnout.
This isn’t anecdotal. I didn’t grow up in a household like that. But the research supports it:
1. Older adults living with younger generations experience less loneliness, better mental health, and even longer lifespans. 2. Multigenerational households are more financially resilient, less likely to live in poverty, and able to share housing, food, and caregiving costs. 3. Children benefit cognitively and emotionally from regular grandparent involvement. 4. Multigenerational setups enable parents to stay in the workforce while providing more consistent and affordable childcare. 5. Families in these homes report stronger relationships and better intergenerational understanding.
Of course there are challenges. Privacy, space, and generational conflict are real. But with today's social isolation, rising living costs, and aging demographics, we might want to normalize this kind of household again.
Maybe the future isn't just smarter cities or more automation, but rethinking how we live together.
---
*Sources:*
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9876343/ 2. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2022/03/24/the-inc... 3. https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/75/6/12... 4. https://www.gu.org/app/uploads/2021/03/FamilyMatters2021.pdf 5. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db255.pdf

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- tuna74 2 days ago
  
  Or you could just have really good public childcare and after/before school programs for kids up to 10 years.
  
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  jogjayr 2 days ago
  
  Speaking from experience, both are necessary. Public childcare and afterschool programs aren't a replacement for quality time with grandparents. They also don't cover weekends or evenings like grandparents can do.
  
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- Exoristos 2 days ago
  
  "Modern norms" often just means individuals being myopic jackasses.
  
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  derwiki 2 days ago
  
  I guess? The town my parents settled in was doing well when they moved there. 15 years later when I was born, it and all the surrounding towns were clearly in decline. Today, friends that have stuck around say it’s not safe to walk around because of the meth.
  They also didn’t have jobs for programmers, so I moved to where they did.
  
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djrj477dhsnv 2 days ago

We have plenty of people in the world. We'd be a whole lot better off if more people waited until they're financially stable before having children.

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Dylan16807 2 days ago

There are some child care costs for two working adults, so the calculator wants about 15% more money in that case, but yes it says that wage is roughly enough for two adults and two children.

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