If you want to get technical about things, there’s no good reason to have any kids in this day and age other than wanting to raise kids – we don’t need to perpetuate the species, there are too many humans kicking up far too much carbon, they’re expensive, they cramp your style, you’ll never sleep again….I could go on.
What I’m saying is the only reason to have a kid is if you really, really want one.
This guy takes issue with people who have a lot of kids, for all of those reasons I listed above (and probably some more).
That’s a lot of edits. This is going to be good.
The fine people of Reddit are there with their own opinions on the matter, and as always, we’re going to have to agree to disagree.
14. We do have some agency.
I used to work with this guy at a job that paid between $15-$20 an hour so like $28,000 – $38,000 a year. Ive heard on average it costs about $14,000 per year for child related expenses.
This dude was a hardcore Christian and I asked him one day when he was going to stop having kids because I’m pretty sure he had like 4 or 5 and his response was as long as God keeps blessing me with children ill keep having them.
Like mutha f*cka what?? Pretty sure God would appreciate you giving what children you have a decent life than trying to repopulate the earth on your own
13. This seems counterintuitive to me, but hey.
In my country (Indonesia), theres a saying that roughly translates into this: “More children will bring more wealth”. It’s not that popular nowadays, but back then people would have more than 10 kids.
My dad has 6 siblings and my mom has 4 siblings. Back then, that saying could be true as most people have their own business (shops, farms, etc).
So more kids mean theres more people that could help on their shops or farms, and they would grow their parents business in the future.
As living cost became more and more expensive (especially education), most families would only have 1 or 2 kids, maybe sometimes 3 if they’re rich.
12. I don’t like this story.
I knew a guy like that.
He worked as a pastor for a small church (obviously not making enough money to support all his kids) he wanted 8+ kids I think.
He made it so their middle initials combined chronologically spelled out “men of god” and they were all named after books of the Bible.
Years later it turns out he was abusing his family and it was not safe for his wife to continue to have kids but he insisted anyway.
11. Things have changed.
My nana born in 1933 who had twelve kids and raised ten (her first and last didn’t make it) always says
“It was easier raising ten back then than it is two today.”
10. She’s seen too much.
I’ll go 1 further and just straight out say there are people who just shouldn’t have kids.
Mental health worker; Worked with a pregnant 20 year old with 2 kids. No job, no high school diploma, myriad of mental health issues, living entirely off the system yet complaining that she wanted to do more- move to a nicer place, work, buy nice things/get a car.
It’s like stop f*cking having kids if you’re trying to not be poor.
Their mother who has 6 or 7 kids, same boat.
Mental health issues/lived off system/lazy/didn’t know their sh%t stunk.
9. There used to be good reasons.
My father had 17 siblings, none were adopted of course, all by my one and only grandmah.
If i remembered correctly two didn’t make it during childhood, but he would definitely agree that being raised with such conditions in this day and age would be horrendous financially.
Even my aunt who raises her 7 kids is struggling from time to time nowadays.
8. It’s simple math.
i know of a family where they had 8 kids, and struggled to put food on the table.
If they had just halved the amount of kids they would all get the attention they need, the help they need, and not having to worry too much about food and money.
It’s seeing families like this that has my husband and I stopping at just one child.
We could afford more, sure – but maybe we just give the most fulfilling life to the one we do have?
7. Is there enough love to go around?
My great grandmother had 23 kids and probably loved like 4 of them.
How do parents have the time and effort to tend to so many kids?
6. So begins a cycle.
Not only that, but often this happens to those who don’t have the financial means to support those kids.
Lack of education, lack of common sense, lack of financial stability. –
But they sure can pop them out.
Two kids, for those that want them, is reasonable. Multitudes of them, is not.
5. And you don’t want to hire workers.
If you’re having TEN kids, I assume you’re running a farm.
4. It’s never easy.
5th child in a family of 9, I’m an ex mormon while my family is still in, and I dont think its possible not to struggle in that situation.
My mom didn’t work, because she had to put in most the effort to raise the kids because my dad had to work to support the family.
He’s a psychologist, and if they had decided to have only 4 children, when they were debating stopping, they would be super well off. But alas, religious leaders kept saying that it’s a blessing to have more children, and my mother, who I think might genuinely have some form of dementia, kept hearing her kids asking to be born.
It got to the point where she basically tricked my dad into having me, which was super fun to come to terms with.
3. That’s a popular reason.
Yeah my mom’s friend has 11 kids and she always talks about how hard it is financially and mentally.
I’m like you know you don’t have to have 11 kids. And btw she’s pregnant with another one
She says she has so many kids so they can “spread the words of jesus” or something like that.
2. Idiocracy has come to pass.
People who are well off and have access to education are way less likely to even have kids-this makes me very worried for the future.
Not certain on likelihood of having children but I can bet that those with access to education will have put in a lot of thought and planning in such a massive decision.
They will have considered things like availability of the parents, work schedule, finances, social needs of the children, stability of the home environment, other parents experiences, whether they truly want kids and how many if they do, and come to an informed and rational decision as a result.
1. Two and done.
I’m a first time mom with 5mo twins and I’m just always tired, and I don’t even have full bladder control back yet and a bunch of moms say that like 15 months post.
Maybe, maybe I can do this one more time but like… not 8 more
There you have it, folks – you’ll have to make your own call on this one, but please…do think about the rest of us, too.
What are your thoughts on this topic? Spout off in the comments!