Ask any new parent, and they will tell you that the costs associated with a new baby are many, everything from bottles to diapers to cribs, strollers, and high chairs, and all of this before the child even learns to walk and talk and beg you for a pair of $500 designer jeans. Parenting is one of the most rewarding, and important jobs that a person can have, in addition to being one of the most expensive. The good news is that there are two tax breaks offered by the federal government that the majority of parents can qualify for, which are the dependent exemption and the child tax credit.