I dont think you have to be rich. What I get back from my kids is far more than any dollar amount I have put into them.

I want my kids to have everything I didnt. I was one of four with a solo Mum who did so very well with us but money was impossibly tight. There was no extras in our house and I did grow up resenting that. Not fully understanding of course until I was older but I just remember hating been "poor"

I miss out now, my kids dont. Thats not to say they are spoilt but I go without the new clothes so they can have the label clothes for their birthdays, I colour my own hair so they get a new Ipod or DS for xmas.
I spend hours baking and cooking from scratch so the cupboards always have yummy food in them.
We dont have huge family holidays so they have their school camps and Canberra trips.
Im sure my kids still think at times they are "so hard done by" but show me a child that doesnt at some time or other?

Its my sacrifice (although I dont like to use that word) for choosing to have my big
family.
Money does not make a family big or small.