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Her money comes to you through PRX. Hey everybody it is Jean Chatsky and if you're a parent even if you're a parent

of just a newborn, then you know kids are not cheap.

This year's Department of Agriculture Data, and just wait for these numbers, people.

It says that a middle income married

couple with two kids is expected to spend around a quarter million dollars to

raise one child born in 2015 and that does not by the way include college.

I mean those numbers are just astonishing. I remember I used to do stories about these numbers when they

would come out when I was reporting for smart money and then money and they

always started with a one. I don't know when the page flipped and they started with

a two but yes they like the cost of

college which can equal that if you go to private school just go up and up and up and

and what about if you are a parent of a child with special needs?

A parent of a child with autism, for example?

Well, one study estimates that the lifetime costs of treating and caring for an individual with autism can range

from 1.5 to 2.5 million dollars depending on intellectual level of disability or ability and some reports say even higher.

So this week we are diving in.

We are speaking with somebody who is experiencing these costs, this scenario firsthand.

She also happens to be just a lovely person and a pleasure to spend time with.

Yeah, and she'll agree with that.

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