Determining the exact cost of raising a child from infancy to the age of 17 in the United States remains challenging. However, it is undoubtedly expensive. According to some estimates, the expense of raising a child born in 2015 could reach nearly $320,000 over 17 years for a middle-class family. This sum covers expenses such as childcare, healthcare, food, clothing, education, transportation, activities, toys, and more. All these areas may potentially be impacted by the tariff policies implemented by the Trump administration.
Companies that market products for children will also likely experience financial strain. According to one CEO, these tariffs could even render certain products unavailable. The already considerable cost of parenting in the U.S. could be further heightened by the imposition of tariffs on products commonly used by children.
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The episode was produced by Brianna Scott, with audio engineering handled by Tiffany Vera Castro, Ted Mebane, and Simon-Laslo Janssen. It received editorial oversight from Courtney Dorning, with Sami Yenigun serving as the executive producer.
