It's one of those "dad moments." Taking your child to her first ballet lesson; teaching her to ride a bike; going with her to get her learner's permit. All very special, all very memorable, and they make you realize one thing: Children are a LOT more expensive than they look.

I mean, first their needs are pretty simple, you would think. The basic wardrobe is something that you throw away once it gets dirty. (And, if you're a guy, you thought at the time, not how bad this was for the environment, but what a great idea for adult clothing. No more laundry or dry cleaners, but straight to the landfill. Women would object, of course. They'd want to hang on to their shoes.)

But then it starts to build. The baby needs not only diapers but an entire line of clothing. And a stroller. And a car seat that would not look out of place in the cockpit of an F22 and may have cost more than my actual car at the time.

And then there are bikes to buy and dance lessons to pay for and karate classes and soccer uniforms and soccer shoes to purchase.

(Helpful parenting hint: For the very youngest players on your "home team" you might be able to save some money on the soccer cleats. I once asked one of my daughter's coaches what kind we should get. He looked at her, kitted out at 4 years old in her shorts, T-shirt and shin guards, and said she should probably just play in sneakers. "See, at this age, they don't really weigh enough for the cleats to sink into the turf when they run." It was the last time anyone ever told me how to save money while raising a kid.) I had another dad moment recently, accompanying my daughters on their first college campus tour.

This happened to be at my alma mater, so there were certain things I was anxious for them to see: the library, the college chapel, some of the classrooms. There were also a few places I would rather they did not see, like the basement room in my dorm, which every weekend was transformed into a bar, complete with a tap system, Clydesdale mirror and a color TV. (At the time the drinking age in the state was 18, officer.)

Imagine my relief to find that these rooms (every dorm had one) have now been transformed into tidy lounges, equipped with refrigerators and microwaves where hurried students can grab a quick breakfast or make a snack while studying. However, I'm willing to bet that on warm days you can still smell the stale beer.

Anyway, the girls liked the campus and took home catalogs and brochures. I took home financial aid information.

That car seat is starting to look like a real bargain now.

TOM REILLY is a Sun Chronicle news editor. He can be reached at 508-236-0332 or at treilly@thesunchronicle.com. Especially if you have scholarship information.