The mental gymnastics I've seen kids enable is Olympic level. Need to upgrade to a bigger house, need to upgrade the car to a SUV, need keep traveling 2-3 times a year, need to sign up for some crazy sports league and coach which means domestic flights and hotels every other week.
replyHave seen that as well. Kids is the convenient excuse to go spending. Marketers have well understood that for multiple decades.
replyMeanwhile I would bet there is an inverse correlation between spending for the kids and kids happiness.