# 18. Is raising a child worth it? This section breaks down the financial and time costs involved. Much like Section 10, which examined the costs of marriage, we’re simply laying out the numbers here — without offering any definitive conclusions. If you’re already pregnant and need to follow the necessary steps, please refer to Section 27. There are 18 key considerations to keep in mind when deciding whether raising a child is worthwhile. ### 1. Start by claiming what you’re entitled to: the national dibao program gives 3,600 yuan per child per year until the child turns 3 - Cost: Zero out-of-pocket expense. Simply apply at the local hukou office where your child is registered — one visit is all it takes. - In plain terms: If your child was born after January 1, 2025, and is under 3 years old, you qualify for this payment. One parent or legal guardian can submit the application at the child’s hukou office. The allowance is 3,600 yuan per year per child, paid out until the child reaches age 3. No personal income tax applies to this money, and it does not count toward any dibao or similar assistance calculations. - Benefit: As stipulated in the policy issued by the General Offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, infants and toddlers born after January 1, 2025, and under 3 years of age are eligible for a yearly payment of 3,600 yuan per child. This amount is exempt from personal income tax and is excluded from calculations of household or individual income when determining eligibility for dibao or similar programs. - Evidence grade: A - Notes: This is a nationwide baseline benefit. Certain provinces and municipalities also offer their own local subsidies, which can be claimed alongside this national payment. Over three years, the total comes to 10,800 yuan — a modest contribution toward raising a child. Do not let this amount influence your decision about whether or not to have a child. - Sources:中共中央办公厅、国务院办公厅 (2025). 育儿补贴制度实施方案. ### 2. Maternity leave lasts 98 days; maternity benefits are paid by the maternity insurance fund based on the employer’s average monthly wage from the prior year - Cost: There is no cost to you. Your employer handles all the paperwork — you don’t need to do anything. - In plain terms: You’re entitled to at least 98 days of maternity leave, including up to 15 days you can take before the birth. If the delivery is difficult, you get an extra 15 days. For each additional child born, you receive another 15 days of leave. The money paid during this time is called maternity benefits and comes from the maternity insurance fund. If your employer hasn’t enrolled in this insurance, they must pay the benefits themselves. - Benefit: The length of maternity leave is set by the State Council: “Female employees are entitled to 98 days of maternity leave, including 15 days before delivery; an extra 15 days are added for difficult deliveries; for each additional child born, an additional 15 days of leave are granted.” The payments received during this period are known as maternity benefits. For employees covered by maternity insurance, these benefits are paid by the insurance fund at the rate of the employer’s average monthly wage from the prior year. Employees not covered by insurance receive benefits from their employer at the same wage level they earned before taking leave. - Evidence grade: A - Notes: 98 days is the minimum standard mandated by the state. Most provincial regulations on family planning add at least 60 days of additional “reward leave” for childbirth, bringing the total to at least 158 days in most regions. The party responsible for paying wages during this reward leave varies by province. - Sources:国务院 (2012). 女职工劳动保护特别规定（国令第 619 号，第七条、第八条）. ### 3. Important to know: Employers cannot cut pay or fire workers due to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding - Cost: No cost at all - In plain terms: During pregnancy, after giving birth, or while breastfeeding, it is illegal for employers to cut your pay or fire you. Violators face fines ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 yuan per employee. For infants under one year old, you are entitled to one hour of breastfeeding time each day, and employers cannot assign you overtime or night shifts. Instructions on how to file a claim can be found in Section 19. - Benefit: As stipulated by the State Council, “Employers must not reduce the wages of female employees, fire them, or terminate their labor or employment contracts due to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.” In other words, during these periods, employers cannot lower your pay, fire you, or end your contract. Mothers of infants under one year old are entitled to one hour of breastfeeding time daily, and employers must not require them to work extra hours or night shifts. Any violations result in fines of at least 1,000 yuan and up to 5,000 yuan per employee. - Evidence grade: A - Notes: If you are illegally fired, refer to Section 19 for steps on filing a claim. Key evidence includes any written notices or messages regarding job reassignment or pay cuts — be sure to keep these records safe. - Sources:国务院 (2012). 女职工劳动保护特别规定（国令第 619 号，第五条、第九条、第十三条）. ### 4. The time-cost calculation is based on “whose time is being used,” not on “how hard it is” - Cost: There’s no monetary expense — only time is spent. For children under 3, that time is essentially taken up around the clock. The difficulty lies in the fact that this happens daily, not just for a few tough days. - In plain terms: Count up all the hours spent caring for the child each day, plus every nighttime wake-up call. Then multiply that total by the hourly wage of the person doing the work. The resulting figure is usually far higher than the cost of formula and diapers. That’s why it’s best to discuss how responsibilities will be divided before having a child. - Benefit: By converting daily childcare time and nighttime interruptions into hours, then multiplying by the caregiver’s hourly wage, you arrive at a number that typically exceeds the cost of formula and diapers. Even unpaid tasks like childcare, cooking, and nightly wake-ups should be treated the same way — converted to hours and multiplied by a wage figure to be included in the total cost. The calculation method mirrors that used in Section 10 for household chores. Having a clear division of labor agreed upon beforehand makes it easier to decide whether to have a child. - Evidence grade: C - Notes: The goal isn’t to produce a perfectly accurate figure. Rather, it’s to ensure both partners discuss responsibilities using the same calculation framework prior to having a child, rather than arguing about it afterward. - Sources:作者经验，无直接文献；口径见第 10 节 ### 5. Breaking down costs into three periods: ages 0–3, compulsory education, and post‑compulsory education - Cost: There’s no single fixed figure for total expenses; they vary widely depending on the city and the approach families take. The real challenge is to carefully separate the costs into these three periods instead of guessing a rough total. - In plain terms: For ages 0–3, most spending goes toward childcare arrangements — whether parents care for the child themselves, grandparents help out, or a professional is hired. During primary and middle school, the main expenses are housing and extracurricular activities. After that, costs center on further education pathways. Since spending patterns differ so much in each phase, lumping them together yields only an intimidating overall figure. - Benefit: The bulk of expenses in the 0–3 age range relate to childcare methods; for compulsory education, housing and after‑school programs dominate; later on, costs shift toward higher‑level schooling. Because these categories are distinct, mixing them obscures the true financial picture. - Evidence grade: C - Notes: First, factor in any guaranteed financial support such as parental subsidies, maternity allowances, and yibao reimbursements; then determine what additional funds are still needed. Avoid basing decisions on widely circulated online estimates like “it costs X million to raise a child,” as their calculation methods are unclear and may omit or overstate certain items. - Sources:作者经验，无直接文献 ### 6. Keep separate accounts for having kids for your elders, for marriage, and for old-age security - Cost: There’s no monetary cost — only the cost of having a sincere conversation. The real challenge is speaking openly about these topics without dodging them. - In plain terms: Others may expect you to have children, and that can certainly be one factor to consider. Yet the time and money involved are expenses you personally bear. “Relying on kids for old-age support” deserves its own separate calculation, since it hinges on another person’s financial capacity and willingness two decades down the line. Be sure to also write down the consequences of choosing not to have kids, so you can compare both sides fairly. - Benefit: The reasoning here mirrors that in Section 10. External expectations are valid considerations, but their associated costs must be recorded on your own ledger, not someone else’s. This is especially true for “relying on kids for old-age support,” which depends entirely on another individual’s future financial situation and willingness to help. - Evidence grade: C - Notes: Make sure to list both the consequences of having kids and those of not having them, then compare them side by side. Recording only one side of the equation doesn’t truly qualify as keeping accounts at all. - Sources:作者经验，无直接文献；同类分析见第 10 节