Playschool....

This week is actually a big week for me, my wife and the little girl. Why? It is because she has now gone to 'school'. Imagine, she is barely 3 and has got to go to 'school'.

I, as a father, actually felt a little bit kasihan at kecik as she will be in school till she is 17. That's like another 14 years. Then college or university and then get married. Huh, time will certainly fly very fast!!

It was only yesterday that I felt that I held her in my hands. But now, she called me ayah every time I come home and that is something that money can't buy.

Anyways, my point here is, although I'm very happy to see her to go to School but at the back of my mind, being parents with kids nowadays will not be easy as there are so many things that you have to think of especially from the financial aspects. For examples, their school fees, clothes and whatever else.

You'll need to think about her 3rd level education which everybody knows that it is not cheap. Of course, as parents, you want to provide the best environment for your kids. Hence, it will certainly comes with a price. I would assumed that I will need to have something about RM50k-RM100k for her 3rd level education in 15 years time (assuming that she will go into a private college). That means, I have to save up about RM500 per month for the next 15 years for her 3rd level education. Wow...Maybe I'm thinking too far ahead but that is the reality that I'll be facing in the future. Of course, it'll be a different story if she were to get a scholarship. hehehehe. And of course, it will be a totally different story if she is offered a place at a university out of Malaysia. Dennnggg.....

Another angle is, marriage. Again, of course every parents wants to have the best possible marriage for their children. And believe me, this marriage thingy will cause major headache. Perhaps, from my experience, marriage now involves loads of money. I mean A LOT!! Marriage packages now starts from 10-15k for the basic package and it can goes into several hundred thousands far people with loads of money. It's a scary thought though but again, it is the reality moreover for me. Heheheh. That's another thing that I have think about. It won't happen so soon but it will happen before I even notice it. So, that's another Rm500 per month of saving I guess.

However, it makes me think that by investing into properties will actually help me in soothing my concerns about kecik's education and marriage cost. Hhehehe. I guess, it provides me a cushion to have something to 'sell' when the time comes. However, it is just a thought that crosses my mind for the last couple of weeks and it is another wake up call for me that life's not gonna be all rosy and rainbows. I hope when the time comes, I'm ready for it and I thank god that I realised this now instead of 10 years time.

There are of course, more things that I will need to do. Maybe this year is my 'step-up-to-another-gear' year. It's time to take a little bit of risk and see how it goes....