More and more, it seems like the only people who can afford to reproduce are the very wealthy, or the very poor. Everyone in the middle is stuck in the same trap - not enough money to afford it, and too much money to qualify for help. If I had to pick one memory that captured what it was like for me, it would be the time my one-year old son puked all over me as we left a restaurant when visiting my dad. I ended up walking a half mile carrying my son in my arms soaked in baby puke so that we could wash off. That to me is the essence of parenthood.