This week we heard from the academic, Dr Mike Dockery, about "The Cost of Raising Children". He says the so-called ‘price’ of child rearing, is about a tenth of what previous studies have suggested… In fact, he says kids may even make their parents more wealthy in the long run. Now let’s hear from you

• If you’re a mum or dad, what have you experienced? Do you feel financially poorer than friends without kids? Have you had to forgo a lot of life’s luxuries that unmarried or child-less friends may enjoy?

• If so, do you feel any loss or regret? Or do you just accept it as part of the decision to raise children? Are the rewards greater than any outlay?

• If you’re not a parent, perhaps if you’re married and putting it off for a while, I’d love to know if the financial aspect has influenced that decision.
 
• Does the cost, particularly in shaky economic times like these make you question whether you can afford children?

• If so, did you find this latest research encouraging?

• I’d also be interested to hear from people who were raising children in a generation when the cost wasn’t such a focus in the media… Do you think the younger generation has been misled?

• Or is important to do the maths first? Would you have been grateful if someone had talked you through the financial aspect before you jumped in and had your children?