and being old and alone is worse. My parents and parents-in-law are all gone now, and I write from experience: Even if you are able to support yourself financially; At some point, you may also need help just to get maintenance for your home or transport to the care you need. If you get chronically ill or hospitalized, you NEED an advocate to manage your doctors and care institutions. Without active advocates you will be in deep trouble; and will be mis-managed, over-medicated, over or under-treated, mistreated, and fall through the cracks of the elderly-care and healthcare system as your condition becomes ever more complex.

Nobody wants to be a burden, but being close to family, kids and grand-kids can mean you have a network of support, at least to some extent. It means you have a place to go and family events to look forward to. It means occasional joy seeing them grow and being there to share when your offspring have successes or problems. If you are fortunate enough to be able to develop and maintain close relationships with your adult kids it means great satisfaction.

Money comes and goes, and worldly possessions are expendable. Kids are precious, and there is no worse tragedy than for a parent to outlive a child. I hope I'll go quickly when it's my time and won't burden my children, but people are the most precious thing in my life and family my greatest wealth.

Kids are an investment that goes way beyond economics.