Kids Ain't Cheap

A colorful squishy toy that looks like an innocent stress reliever may hide something parents cannot see: expandable water beads. About 37,000 Squishy Dumpling and Crazy Squib Ball toys were recalled on October 1 after regulators determined that their water beads could expand beyond federal limits and create a potentially deadly ingestion haza

If your teenager can empty a refrigerator faster than you can restock it, you are not imagining the financial impact. A teenager grocery bill can rival what many households spend feeding an adult, especially when sports, growth spurts, snacks, and convenience foods enter the picture. Current food-plan estimates suggest feeding one teen at home

That familiar red Elmo face sitting in your freezer may deserve a closer look before it goes back into your baby’s hands. A Skip Hop Baby “Sesame Street” Elmo Silicone Teether has been recalled because its black eye pieces can detach if the product is frozen, creating a choking hazard. The Elmo teether recall affects […] The post Have an Elmo

Choosing a baby name can feel like a balancing act: distinctive enough to stand out, but familiar enough that people can pronounce it. The latest 2025 U.S. naming data shows that several supposedly unusual choices are quietly becoming popular baby names. Some have climbed hundreds of positions in a decade, while others are vintage names […] Th

A teen’s first job can feel like a financial turning point for the entire family: suddenly, your child has a paycheck, a debit card and opinions about how that money should be spent. For parents, the tricky question comes next—does earning money mean the teen should start paying for gas, clothes, meals with friends and […] The post A Teen Gets

Grandma hands one grandchild an envelope containing $1,000 and the other gets $100, and suddenly what should have been a happy family moment feels painfully awkward. Unequal gifts to grandchildren can raise questions about favoritism, fairness, and whether parents should intervene in a grandparent’s financial choices. The answer is not automat

A child’s 18th birthday is usually celebrated as a milestone toward independence, but for families raising a child with disabilities, it can also trigger major financial and legal changes. Benefits that once depended partly on the parents’ finances may suddenly be evaluated differently, while parents can lose their automatic authority to handl

By age 5, parents may expect the financial pressure of the toddler years to ease, especially when kindergarten replaces full-time day care. Yet the monthly cost of a 5-year-old can still surprise families once food, health insurance, clothes, transportation, school expenses, and child care are counted. The total also varies enormously dependin