I've been on the receiving end of these statements because I've chosen not to bear children. My reasons to remain childfree are plentiful (and nobody's business). Yet I'm constantly asked to justify my choice. Here's a sampling: 1. Economics: Children are expensive. As of August 2013, the average cost for a middle class family to raise one child for 18 years is $304,480. Giving birth can cost between $3,296 and $37,227. Sending a child to college costs between $8,893 to $22,203 per year, per...