In the past five years, have you changed your mind about whether or not to have children? (generations, private school)

[Hearthcrafter]

Originally Posted by katharsis

Because of current various issues and trends that you see going on today -- positive or negative -- are you who are in your 20's, 30's or early 40's now more or less inclined to have kids (or increase the number of children in your family), and why?

In hindsight, I would have waited longer to have them, but otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing. I don’t think the world is going to hell in a hand basket and more than it has been since humans arrived on the scene.

And, also, would it bother you if you knew that it was very unlikely that your kids would actually ever go to a brick and mortar school, if remote learning become the new normal? (Meaning that they might be spending the great majority of their time at home.)

Tough one to answer. They each have adapted rather well to distance learning, but socially it has been tough. Even my most introverted child now misses being with peers every day. It’s also very hard for me to work with them home all day, but we’re muddling through. But honestly, if they told me tomorrow that they want to cyber school permanently, I would be fine with it.

[thefragile]

Originally Posted by BlakeJones

It doesn't make sense because it's a paradoxical and nihilistic stance. What is the point of existence if you stop humanity from existing - it's essentially giving up on everything.

I can understand not being parenting material, some people just cannot relate to children and it's not for them.

Please. Don’t worry. Plenty of others out there mindlessly popping out kids because it’s “expected” of them.

[eddie1278]

Originally Posted by BlakeJones

It doesn't make sense because it's a paradoxical and nihilistic stance. What is the point of existence if you stop humanity from existing - it's essentially giving up on everything.

I can understand not being parenting material, some people just cannot relate to children and it's not for them.

I would be an excellent father I'm not concerned about that. There's a large portion of society that have children and it's not for them and horrible parents. There will always be procreators there's nothing to worry about there.

[ohio_peasant]

Originally Posted by BlakeJones

It doesn't make sense because it's a paradoxical and nihilistic stance. What is the point of existence if you stop humanity from existing - it's essentially giving up on everything.

Perhaps, just perhaps, there really is no point to existence?

[BlakeJones]

Originally Posted by ohio_peasant

Perhaps, just perhaps, there really is no point to existence?

And there it is, the root of the issue which makes this a thread that should be in the religion/spirituality section

[katharsis]

Well, yes, a discussion existentialism belongs in another forum (I personally would choose Philosophy), but I was thinking more practically when I started the thread (which is why I added the italicized note at the bottom as to why if I had to do it all over again, I would not have adopted my kids about 25 years ago -- too much liberalism in schools and government, imo, to raise my kids how I saw fit -- and, btw, I am an agnostic, so I am not talking about schools/government not supporting the idea of Creationism, for example.

I was thinking about how some people in my generation said they would not bring kids into the world because it was such a terrible place -- and this was in the early 70's! So my question was to try to take a very casual and very limited survey as to whether people who are now about 35 years young also feel the world is too terrible a place to bring kids into, or if they feel that the world is actually a better place now for children. (Actually, maybe this would be a subject for Great Debates!)

I honestly think that it could be argued both ways, depending on the parents' personal situation.

[ClaraC]

Originally Posted by katharsis

Because of current various issues and trends that you see going on today -- positive or negative -- are you who are in your 20's, 30's or early 40's now more or less inclined to have kids (or increase the number of children in your family), and why?

And, also, would it bother you if you knew that it was very unlikely that your kids would actually ever go to a brick and mortar school, if remote learning become the new normal? (Meaning that they might be spending the great majority of their time at home.)


[If I had known how society has changed in the past 25 years, I would not have adopted children; and much of that is because I am an old-fashioned senior who frankly hates much of what modern life is now (Some examples: Facebook, a biased press, the so-called Nanny state, the turning away from so-called "traditional values", etc.) But that is because I am both old and old-fashioned, and so I strongly suspect that my idea of "good" might be completely out of sync with what most younger people think is good.]

Are you a reader? If you are, I'd recommend reading nonfiction stories from American history. Never in the history of time have we had it so cush. There is no child in the US who has to go hungry, cold, rejected because of his mixed race/single parent status, we have modern medicine to alleviate most pain and cure most diseases, child labor laws so that small children aren't worked from sunrise to sunset, laws requiring educating all children, etc.

We, as a population, have never had it so good.

I'd suggest starting with Prairie Fires, about the truth of Laura Ingall's Wilder's (of Little House on the Prairie) life. Often, absolutely miserable despite how she romanticizes 19th century midwest farm life.

[mustangman66]

I always wanted to have more children but we stopped at 2. Part of the reason is because I feel the world is crumbling around us, but I also feel that we are overpopulated which diminishes the quality of life and I would feel guilty bringing anymore children into this world.

[Winterbeard]

In the past five years? Yes.

Unfortunately my youngest child is 5 and a half.

[hotkarl]

We have changed our minds, although our children are in their 20’s.
We are looking for a solution to this right now. Maybe give them up for adoption.
We realize having children is a big mistake in this day and age.