★英語聽力頻道為大家整理的VOA--美國撫養(yǎng)孩子的成本繼續(xù)上升。更多閱讀請查看本站英語聽力頻道。
Cost to Raise a Child in US Continues to Rise 美國撫養(yǎng)孩子的成本繼續(xù)上升
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA—
The cost of raising a child in the United States continues to rise. In its latest annual report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says middle income families with a child born in 2013 can expect to spend more than $240,000 before that child turns 18. And sending that child to college more than doubles that amount.
A visit with a couple with one child in Alexandria, Virginia, shed some light on whether or not the report reflects their lifestyle.
Eddie Byrd, and his wife Gabriela, who is from Peru, dote over their only child-five-year-old Brandy.
艾迪·伯德和他的秘魯妻子加芙·加波利亞對他們5歲的孩子布蘭迪寵愛有加。
Her father said they spend whatever they have to for her. “You look at it as an investment in another human being who you love very deeply.”
她的父親表示為了只要是有的夫妻二人都給了這個女兒?！澳憔妥鳛槭菍α硪粋€深愛之人的投資?！?BR> The expenses began adding up even before Brandy was born.
而開銷花費在布蘭迪出生之前就開始增加。
“You have to put together your nursery, you have to get a stroller, all of those things, and you've invested several thousand dollars.”
“你必須搞定托兒所的事情,你得弄輛嬰兒車,所有這些東西,你已經(jīng)花了幾千美元?！?BR> According to the Agriculture Department report, the biggest cost of raising a child is housing, followed by childcare, education and food. Other expenses include clothing, transportation, and activities for the child.
據(jù)美國農(nóng)業(yè)部的報告顯示,撫養(yǎng)孩子的大成本首當其沖是住房問題、隨后才是兒童保育、教育及食品。其他費用包括服裝、交通及兒童的活動。
撫養(yǎng)孩子.jpg
It's all having an impact on this middle-class family in the pricey Washington, D.C., area.
而上面所提都對在物價昂貴的華盛頓特區(qū)過活的這個中產(chǎn)階級家庭造成了影響。
“We're not doing well financially. It's a struggle from month to month.”
“我們在財務方面做得不是很好。所以每個月都是掙扎著過活?！?BR> And while it's a struggle for many parents worldwide to raise children, some countries are making it easier by providing subsidized health and child care, such as Norway, Sweden, Finland and Australia.
雖然世界各地的為人父母們在撫養(yǎng)孩子上都面臨困難,但像是挪威、瑞典、芬蘭和澳大利亞等國家通過提供健康和兒童保健補貼緩和了家長們的壓力。
The Byrds are saving on child care costs since Gabriela is a stay-at-home mom. But like many middle-class families, they are paying for additional activities for Brandy, such as ballet and swimming classes.
自從加芙在家中擔任全職媽媽以來伯德一家一直為了兒童保育成本省吃儉用。但像許多中產(chǎn)階級家庭一樣,他們也負擔布蘭迪的芭蕾舞和游泳課等課余興趣活動費用。
“It's not like when I was growing up, when I could hop on my bicycle at home and ride 5 miles into town and spend the day in town, come back in the afternoon. There are bad people out there these days.”
“這跟我以前不一樣,我那時候在家跳上自行車,騎5英里進城,并且玩上一整天,然后下午回來?，F(xiàn)在外面都是壞人?！?BR> He said education is one of his biggest expenses, since they decided to send Brandy to a private Catholic school. He's concerned that, years from now, paying for Brandy's college education will be out of reach.
他表示自從決定將布蘭迪送進私立天主教學校以來教育就成了大開銷之一。他擔心從現(xiàn)在開始數(shù)年后布蘭迪的大學費用會是個天價。
“She'll have to work herself to get through college, or hopefully, college won't even exist the way it does today, and there will be alternative means for her education.”
“她得自己工作上大學,或者希望那時候的大學不是現(xiàn)在這番光景,或許有替代教育的方式?！?BR> As older parents, Byrd said, he and Gabriela's dream of an early retirement isn't going to happen.
身為年長的父母,伯德表示他和加芙提前退休的夢想已經(jīng)破滅。
“We hoped to return to Peru in retirement and live there. The savings that we would have had are now going into our child and our family.”
“我們希望在退休后回到秘魯頤養(yǎng)天年。但我們現(xiàn)在的儲蓄全部用于孩子和我們這個家身上?！?BR> But he noted it's well worth the investment.
但他表示這是非常值得的投資。
Cost to Raise a Child in US Continues to Rise 美國撫養(yǎng)孩子的成本繼續(xù)上升
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA—
The cost of raising a child in the United States continues to rise. In its latest annual report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says middle income families with a child born in 2013 can expect to spend more than $240,000 before that child turns 18. And sending that child to college more than doubles that amount.
A visit with a couple with one child in Alexandria, Virginia, shed some light on whether or not the report reflects their lifestyle.
Eddie Byrd, and his wife Gabriela, who is from Peru, dote over their only child-five-year-old Brandy.
艾迪·伯德和他的秘魯妻子加芙·加波利亞對他們5歲的孩子布蘭迪寵愛有加。
Her father said they spend whatever they have to for her. “You look at it as an investment in another human being who you love very deeply.”
她的父親表示為了只要是有的夫妻二人都給了這個女兒?！澳憔妥鳛槭菍α硪粋€深愛之人的投資?！?BR> The expenses began adding up even before Brandy was born.
而開銷花費在布蘭迪出生之前就開始增加。
“You have to put together your nursery, you have to get a stroller, all of those things, and you've invested several thousand dollars.”
“你必須搞定托兒所的事情,你得弄輛嬰兒車,所有這些東西,你已經(jīng)花了幾千美元?！?BR> According to the Agriculture Department report, the biggest cost of raising a child is housing, followed by childcare, education and food. Other expenses include clothing, transportation, and activities for the child.
據(jù)美國農(nóng)業(yè)部的報告顯示,撫養(yǎng)孩子的大成本首當其沖是住房問題、隨后才是兒童保育、教育及食品。其他費用包括服裝、交通及兒童的活動。
撫養(yǎng)孩子.jpg
It's all having an impact on this middle-class family in the pricey Washington, D.C., area.
而上面所提都對在物價昂貴的華盛頓特區(qū)過活的這個中產(chǎn)階級家庭造成了影響。
“We're not doing well financially. It's a struggle from month to month.”
“我們在財務方面做得不是很好。所以每個月都是掙扎著過活?！?BR> And while it's a struggle for many parents worldwide to raise children, some countries are making it easier by providing subsidized health and child care, such as Norway, Sweden, Finland and Australia.
雖然世界各地的為人父母們在撫養(yǎng)孩子上都面臨困難,但像是挪威、瑞典、芬蘭和澳大利亞等國家通過提供健康和兒童保健補貼緩和了家長們的壓力。
The Byrds are saving on child care costs since Gabriela is a stay-at-home mom. But like many middle-class families, they are paying for additional activities for Brandy, such as ballet and swimming classes.
自從加芙在家中擔任全職媽媽以來伯德一家一直為了兒童保育成本省吃儉用。但像許多中產(chǎn)階級家庭一樣,他們也負擔布蘭迪的芭蕾舞和游泳課等課余興趣活動費用。
“It's not like when I was growing up, when I could hop on my bicycle at home and ride 5 miles into town and spend the day in town, come back in the afternoon. There are bad people out there these days.”
“這跟我以前不一樣,我那時候在家跳上自行車,騎5英里進城,并且玩上一整天,然后下午回來?，F(xiàn)在外面都是壞人?！?BR> He said education is one of his biggest expenses, since they decided to send Brandy to a private Catholic school. He's concerned that, years from now, paying for Brandy's college education will be out of reach.
他表示自從決定將布蘭迪送進私立天主教學校以來教育就成了大開銷之一。他擔心從現(xiàn)在開始數(shù)年后布蘭迪的大學費用會是個天價。
“She'll have to work herself to get through college, or hopefully, college won't even exist the way it does today, and there will be alternative means for her education.”
“她得自己工作上大學,或者希望那時候的大學不是現(xiàn)在這番光景,或許有替代教育的方式?！?BR> As older parents, Byrd said, he and Gabriela's dream of an early retirement isn't going to happen.
身為年長的父母,伯德表示他和加芙提前退休的夢想已經(jīng)破滅。
“We hoped to return to Peru in retirement and live there. The savings that we would have had are now going into our child and our family.”
“我們希望在退休后回到秘魯頤養(yǎng)天年。但我們現(xiàn)在的儲蓄全部用于孩子和我們這個家身上?！?BR> But he noted it's well worth the investment.
但他表示這是非常值得的投資。