Do you want Children?

[Shiny Rabbit]

currently, no (I'm 20, in full time education) but if my partner wants them someday then I don't see any reason why not.

 

[Harbinger_]

I'm going to go ahead and assume that we can mostly agree that the world is ridiculously overpopulated right now. People are dying in the streets. There isn't enough food to go around. Yet, for every plague, famine and genocide you hear about the world population still seems to be rising or at least maintaining itself.

So, I've got to know, do any of you want children and, if so, why?

Its a strange thing to ask people. There are many in the world who just go through life the way other people are (a process known as Social Validation) and readily cling to the idea that life has a specific progression. Some people get married and have children, not because they really want to, but because they figure its about time they did. I know everyone talks about "oh, it was the greatest moment of my life when I saw my newborn boy/girl" and I can't argue with that. But at the same time I can say that the idea of bringing even more children into the world instead of adopting the nearly endless sea of orphaned young sounds selfish. Also, my childhood was pretty bad. Not that I was ever starving but, emotionally, that stuff sucked. I don't think I could consciously put another human being through the same experience I had growing up. But, hey, thats just me.

So how about it? Do you want kids? State your reasoning (Full credit will not be awarded to partial answers of Yes or No).

EDIT - Yes, I do realize there are two other threads that are roughly like this but I feel ashamed about grave digging.

I've always wondered what it'd be like to bring life into this world and I happen to believe I'd be a good father if not at least better than some out there. The world itself looks like hell around us but lets hope it gets better by 2018 when I hope to have kids. So yeah I want kids but only if it means the world gets better before I do.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

If you asked two months ago I would have said no, but since then my sister has had a baby, and seeing how happy it made her and her husband, and how I felt holding my little nephew in my arms made me think. While I don't think I'd have one at the age I am (22) I think I would like to be a father some time in the future. However I've had rotten luck in finding someone to marry (or become my long term partner).

 

[Andaxay]

I don't want children and never have. I've never felt that maternal "spark" - when people see babies/children and coo over how sweet and cute they are, I feel nothing. I feel that kind of thing when I see a cat (not maternal as such, but they make me feel warm on the inside), but not a child.

A friend of mine once asked if I wanted to hold her newborn, and before I could respectfully decline, there she was in my arms. And I didn't enjoy it at all.

Plus all I have to do is look at all the exhausted mothers walking through our shop doors to know I could never commit my life to a child. Selfish, maybe, but rather that than bring up a child I don't want.

I am also sick to the back teeth of people telling me I'll change my mind when I get older. I'm 22 now, have absolutely NO desire to reproduce, and can't see why I will. I won't rule out the possibility of getting maternal one day, but it angers me that people have the nerve to tell me how I'll automatically feel in the future just because it's "natural" to want children, and anyway I'm "too young to know how I'll feel".

 

[Communist partisan]

I want kids so I can give them all the love I can and do everything to make them grow up in a way I didn't.

 

[Android2137]

I've entertained the fantasy. I guess deep down I do want a child, but I know I'd make a lousy mother. I barely have the mental strength to handle my own problems. I'm not good with children and my own kid would be totally dependent on me initially. That kid will become a screwed up adult and I'd rather spare him/her and the world by just not having children at all.

 

[Ziggy]

no. I will just rent a dwarf

 

[Nimcha]

Yes, I want kids, but I'm lesbian, so I'd probably just adopt. There's plenty of spare kids in the world, I don't need to go that far out of my way to make my own (sperm donors, artificial insemination... no thanks). I'd want the child to be as young as possible though, so she (I assume I'll only have daughters) would feel more like mine.

And her name will be Revan.

Oh my, now that name is all kinds of awesome. But don't you think most people would accidentally read 'Raven'?

I'm somewhat of the same mind, if I want kids I'll probably adopt, neither me nor my girlfriend fancies the idea of sperm donors and pregnancy as a whole.

 

[Strife2GFAQs]

No, and I have many reasons

1. I'm preparing to graduate college, so I'm going to become financially secure.
2. I don't have a girlfriend
3. If I did, and the question came up to get married, I might not have enough money
4. Even if I did, I wouldn't risk having my life's importance lose priority to love (for both wife and child)
5. The time committment to children is MASSIVE!
6. I don't believe in the "children are our living legacy" bollocks (always wanted to use that word). People make their own legacies. You can thank Solidus Snake and Beowulf for that thought process.

My life is all about me right now. I'm a selfish jerk (among other words I could use). It's not that I don't want relationships with people. It's that the more I get, the more I compromise my own goals. I'm stable and secure and have everything I want. Why screw it up?

 

[standokan]

I´m a simple man with simple needs, and having children is one of those needs.

 

[Soviet Steve]

I think I do. Seeing how poorly my own parents performed I have this urge to fix it for the next generation.

 

[Faladorian]

No no.. Never never NEVER!

Fucking hate children so much.

 

[Vern5]

I'm going to go ahead and assume that we can mostly agree that the world is ridiculously overpopulated right now.

No, you can't assume that. I disagree completely. There are vast areas that are underpopulated. Many "western" nations have immigration programs because of low population and low population growth.

People are dying in the streets. There isn't enough food to go around.

On a world wide basis there is plenty, that isn't why they are starving. They are starving due to war, politics, greed, luck, and many other factors. Billions of tonnes of food are wasted or allowed to rot every year. In some areas farmers are paid NOT to grow food or to destroy perfectly good food to keep the prices at artificial price points.

So, I've got to know, do any of you want children and, if so, why?

Most people are genetically wired to want to reproduce. Even people who think they don't want kids suddenly see things a whole new way as they age, or as they/their partner become pregnant. Nothing in my life has been as rewarding as having a child.

1) Seriously? I can't assume things anymore? I guess I'm just getting stubborn. I'm forgetting to observe the laws of the Secret Mental Police. Just because I assume something doesn't mean it absolutely has to be right. Actually, you proved my point of "mostly agreeing" because mostly doesn't count everyone.

2) You happily proved my point of there not being enough food to go around. Yes a lot of it is lost to fire and neglect. Yes a lot of it is stockpiled away from those who need. So between losing and withholding food, there really isn't enough to go around.

3) I can agree with what you're saying. I'm pretty sure that I'll think differently on having kids or not once I've felt the need to lay down roots. Still, why was having your child such an incredible reward, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Amphoteric]

Yes because evolution says so.

 

[samaugsch]

Lord no. As far as I can tell, children will cause nothing, but problems for me. As babies, I have to change diapers and keep a near constant lookout for them so they don't do anything stupid. As little kids, I have to raise them so they don't throw fits in public. But kids are at their worst as teenagers because they constantly challenge your authority and can even hold their own if you ever need to use brute force for any reason. Eventually, they hopefully grow up and live on their own and you've lost thousands of dollars just to raise them up to that point. Why my parents decided to have kids is beyond me. If I really want a playmate, I'll just get a housepet.

 

[Ghengis John]

Like for dinner? Sure.

Oh you mean my own offspring? Sure. If someone else can't feed their kids it doesn't impact my decision at all. The world is full of idiots. Trying to add a couple more level headed and decent people to it sounds like a pretty good aspiration. And I like playing with children... and molding their MIIIIIIINDS MUWHAHAHAHA....

 

[JokerCrowe]

Nope, not really. It's so much physical and mental work, you will Never have enough money and you're in it for life. You can't just go "no wait, I changed my mind, I don't want to take care of this person that is one half of me and one half some other person". I enjoy other people's children more.
...
That looks SO creepy when it's written like that...
What I meant to say was; I would rather be an uncle.