Dad did the math.

PapaCalcs exists because parenting advice is abundant and parenting answers are not.

The problem

Search almost any parenting question and you will find plenty of material. What you will rarely find is the answer near the top, the numbers behind it, and a clear statement of what to do next. Instead you get a long introduction, a list of considerations, and a conclusion that says it depends on your family.

It does depend on your family. That is exactly why you need the numbers and the options, not a reminder that the question is complicated.

What we do differently

• The answer comes first. Every question page opens with a direct answer. If you read nothing else, you still leave with something.
• The numbers are sourced. Every figure states where it came from and what year the data describes. Where good data does not exist, we say so instead of inventing something.
• The calculator is on the page. National averages are a starting point. Your own numbers are the answer.
• It ends with a plan. Not "be consistent" or "communicate", but what to do this week, what to do next month, and what to watch for.
• We say what you can ignore. Every age stage has a list of things that can genuinely wait. Knowing what not to worry about is worth as much as knowing what to do.

Where the calculators came from

They started as a way to answer questions in our own house, mostly about what things actually cost and whether a decision made financial sense. It turned out other people were searching for the same numbers, so we published them, showed the working, and cited the sources.

That is still the approach. The methodology page explains exactly how each one is built, and the sources page lists everything we rely on.

How this is paid for

The calculators, answers, age guides, and the quiz are free, and they will stay free. We are building three paid systems for the part that comes after the decision, when it has to happen every week. None of them are released yet, and until they are we are not going to pretend otherwise.

We do not run advertising. We do not sell your data. We do not have any data of yours to sell: what you type into a calculator stays in your browser.

What we are not

We are not doctors, lawyers, or financial advisers, and nothing here is professional advice. We are careful with numbers, we cite our sources, and we tell you when we are estimating. For anything medical, legal, or genuinely financial, talk to someone qualified.

Get in touch

Corrections are especially welcome. If a number is wrong, tell us and we will fix it.