Dad did the math.

Parenting doesn't come with a manual.
Let's figure out what's next.

Practical guidance, real numbers, and simple systems for every stage of raising a child.

Take the 2-minute quiz I already know what I need

Start where you are.

What matters most depends on your child's stage.

What are you trying to solve?

Pick the thing that is actually bothering you this week.

Money

  • How much allowance should my child get?
  • Should kids get paid for chores?

Routines

  • Why is every morning chaos?
  • How do I build a bedtime system that holds?

School

  • How much homework help is too much?
  • What does a school year actually cost?

Childcare

  • Does it pay for one of us to stay home?
  • What will daycare really cost us?

Independence

  • What should my teenager know before they leave?
  • When do I hand over responsibility?

Technology

  • When should my child get a phone?
  • How much screen time is reasonable?

Activities

  • Is this sport worth what it costs?
  • How many activities are too many?

College

  • How much should we be saving?
  • What might college actually cost us?

Get the answer first.

Every question page follows the same shape, so you never have to read an essay to find the number you came for.

  1. 1

    Quick answer

    The answer, in the first thing you read. No preamble.

  2. 2

    What to consider

    Only the variables that actually change the decision.

  3. 3

    Numbers

    Sourced benchmarks and ranges, with where they came from.

  4. 4

    Options

    Two to four real choices, with the trade-offs stated plainly.

  5. 5

    Calculator

    Your own numbers, worked out on the page.

  6. 6

    Action plan

    What to do this week, next month, and what to watch for.

Know what's coming.

Most of the stress in parenting is being surprised by something you could have seen coming. Pick an age.

At 8

Money lessons finally land. Chores can carry real responsibility.

The decision that shows up: Whether to start an allowance, and what it should teach.

See the full stage

Don't just know what to do.
Build a system you can actually use.

The free side of PapaCalcs answers the question. These three exist for the part that comes after, when you have to actually run it week after week.

Run the family.

Family Command Center

Turn everyday family chaos into a system that actually works.

The problem
Routines, chores, schedules, and responsibilities are hard to keep consistent. Most weeks start with a plan and end improvised.
Best for
Ages 3 to 12
What it covers In development

Teach money and responsibility.

Money-Ready Kid

Build your child's money habits before money becomes a problem.

The problem
You want to teach your child about money, but it is unclear what to teach, how much to give, and when to introduce each idea. So it gets postponed, and then they are fifteen.
Best for
Ages 6 to 16
What it covers In development

Prepare for independence.

The Road to 18

Prepare your child for adulthood before they need to be independent.

The problem
Your child is growing up, and it is genuinely hard to tell whether you are preparing them for independence or just getting through each year.
Best for
Ages 10 to 18
What it covers In development

None of the three are released yet. Each page explains exactly what it covers, and lets you hear about it when it is ready.

The numbers should make sense.

Every figure on this site says where it came from and when it was last checked. Where we are estimating, we say so, and we use ranges rather than pretending to a precision we do not have.

Read the methodology
  • Public data. USDA, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Census Bureau, and named sector sources.
  • Stated assumptions. Every calculator lists what it assumes and what it leaves out.
  • Nothing leaves your browser. Calculations run on your device. What you type into a calculator is not sent to us.
  • No invented statistics. If we cannot source a number, we do not print one.

What should you do next?

Tell us your child's age and what you are dealing with. We will point you in the right direction.

Find my next step