My cousin has told all 4 of his children not to have children of their own... (teenage, parents)
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Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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People should make their own determination of whether or not to have children for whatever reasons that are important to them. I know that if my parents had told me that I would have ignored it. I can't imagine someone making such a life decision based on what their parents told them. I suspect that even in this case, following the wishes of the parents does not account for their lack of children. They are either just not ready, or do no want to have them. Most people of child-bearing age these days are waiting longer, and having fewer (or no) children for many reasons.
I'll ask him again but in general I believe his response was along the lines of "I can only speak for myself and I would have enjoyed more freedom"...also, he definiitely believes there is overpopulation on the planet, and he doesn't want his kids to have children for some of these reasons.
The thing that really irritates the hell out of me with him and his kids is, like I said, he's pretty intelligent and his kids are intelligent as well. These are the people we should be pushing to have children - we shouldn't be pushing those who are less intelligent and/or have made a life out of collecting welfare to have children, and we shouldn't be importing people if there is a "shortage" like we seem to be told by the same people that push for more migration.
Hungary gives tax breaks to their citizens who have more children. Why don't we do that in America if we are suffering from "replacement rate" reproduction, or whatever it is they call it?..........
Good question, but the answer is, "Because it didn't work in Hungary."
But watch your thinking! Why do you assume that poor uneducated people are less intelligent that wealthy educated ones?! Being born with a brown skin in a very poor country doesn't make someone stupid.
Rather than change the attitude of your cousin, you may wish to spend a little time trying to understand the issues driving population decline. Here's a start.
But watch your thinking! Why do you assume that poor uneducated people are less intelligent that wealthy educated ones?! Being born with a brown skin in a very poor country doesn't make someone stupid.
Rather than change the attitude of your cousin, you may wish to spend a little time trying to understand the issues driving population decline. Here's a start.
Oh goody! Now that the OP has gotten his little lecture on racism, we can all go our merry way.
I'd say this being the parenting forum the best advice is to remind the OP that parenting comes with many responsibilities but also a few privileges, and one of those privileges is that you get to teach your kids whatever points of view you want, with or without anyone else's approval. Perhaps your frustrations are reasonable ones but unfortunately your cousin is the one who gets to take the lead on this sort of thing, not you. Good news is if you have children of your own you have the same privilege with them.
Oh goody! Now that the OP has gotten his little lecture on racism )
Nope. That was post #10.
The funny thing is, I never said anything about my cousin's race/ethnicity.
He actually has some Native American blood (It was either 1/10th or 1/20th, I can't recall, but I think the latter), but I can assure you "white supremacists", if they knew that, wouldn't view him as "one of theirs" - that whole "one drop rule" and all.
I view him as white, but that's an entirely different conversation altogether.
Funny enough, his daughter (the only one of his children who had kids) has a very dark-brown skinned half Native boy, and at least one of his sons has an Asian girlfriend.
My point still stands: the smartest of our people have gotten it in their heads, or view the system entirely as far too penal for those who have children (have you seen the price of daycare for the working citizen these days, while the refugees we continue to bring in I am sure have no issues there???) that them no procreating/recreating their own is some how desirable. That's a crime against humanity in my view.
Twisted, poisonous and demonic because your cousin is realistic and realizes that less humans are much preferable to more? I can't stand people who demand that their kids provide them with grandkids, it's great to read about a parent who encourages the opposite. Procreation is not a duty and should only be undertaken if those procreating really, really want to do so, which is another reason abortion must remain legal.
The thing that really irritates the hell out of me with him and his kids is, like I said, he's pretty intelligent and his kids are intelligent as well. These are the people we should be pushing to have children - we shouldn't be pushing those who are less intelligent and/or have made a life out of collecting welfare to have children, and we shouldn't be importing people if there is a "shortage" like we seem to be told by the same people that push for more migration.
1) people who want to immigrate are generally more motivated than those who don't. They're often smarter, too. There's a good chance they aren't as prejudiced, as well.
2) why should only intelligent people be encouraged to propagate? There are plenty of smart slackers; do you think welfare parents actually have low IQs? Got any proof?
There are many hard workers of average or lower intelligence. Yes, I've seen Idiocracy several times.
I don't think "we" (just who do you consider "we," anyway?) should push any particular group to have kids. There are too many people already, that's what causes pollution, human induced climate change, and war.
Perhaps we should discourage some people from having kids--like criminals, bigots, and greedy jerks.
Since when did children ever listen to their parents? If anything, parents telling kids not to have their own kids would probably be an incentive for them to have them. Reminds me of the Catholic priests who told us teenage boys that masturbation was a sin. That really impressed us - NOT.
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I can't stand people who demand that their kids provide them with grandkids, it's great to read about a parent who encourages the opposite. Procreation is not a duty and should only be undertaken if those procreating really, really want to do so, which is another reason abortion must remain legal.