|
Post by sisof9 on Mar 15, 2010 15:54:14 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Sierra on Mar 15, 2010 16:41:16 GMT -5
It amazes me that anybody could want kids. ;D (Especially having grown up having the church tell me I'm good for nothing but making babies.) Given that the article is from the Daily Fail, I suspect that their environmentalism is being a bit overplayed for shock value. That paper is the UK equivalent of People magazine for accuracy and quality of thought. I am pretty sure none of those women actually want children but are holding back for fear of polluting the earth. More likely they know they aren't the mothering type, and saving the planet is just another perk.
|
|
|
Post by kiery on Mar 15, 2010 17:43:14 GMT -5
Well, really, even if her motives are purely environmental, if she feels that way about it, she's doing the kids she could have had a favor (pardon the term). I mean really, I wouldn't want to grow up in a place where my biological mom thought I was going to kill the planet. Not everyone is made to have kids, imo - she definitely qualifies. *halo*
I didn't get the idea that she didn't think anyone should have kids, just that it would be going against her belief system if she had one. Which I can understand, because people like my family have that same fervor in their belief that it would be wrong and immoral to *not* have children.
I think it balances out - the people who don't want kids won't have them, and the people who feel it's their obligation will have as many as they can. So the people who aren't having children are leaving space for the people who need it.
Also, what Sierra said about the credibility...things were probably somewhat out of proportion.
|
|
|
Post by rosa on Mar 15, 2010 22:23:42 GMT -5
We had decided, for environmental reasons, to only have one or maybe two children - even though when I was younger I wanted to have a bunch. I'd also like to have a giant house and fly to Hawaii every year, but also wouldn't do that for environmental reasons (the house we probably couldn't afford, the flights we definitely could - and we don't take them.) It turned out the first baby could have killed me, so we went from "maybe two" to "definitely just one."
|
|
|
Post by bostonbabe on Aug 30, 2010 13:43:15 GMT -5
Speaking as someone who doesn't want children, I don't know why others who do should invalidate my choice. The desire to have children is *not* innate in everyone. Without even looking at what I think about the world, let's first look at how I feel about children. I don't like holding babies, and I never have. People told me that would change if I was related to them, but I dislike holding my niece (and nephew when he was younger) just as much as other babies. In fact, it kind of gets forced upon me. It's not that I don't love them, I just am innately uncomfortable around young children. This illness of ease gets better as the age of the children increases.
Beyond this discomfort, in my family mental illness, heart disease, and alcoholism are proven to genetically run. I'd most likely be condemning a child to at least one of those, and as someone who suffers to some extent from all of them, I can say I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy, let alone my own child.
Beyond my own genetics is the fact that I believe there is no saving the world. Everyone born into it will suffer, so why should I bring another human being into the world only to suffer? If someday I find some sort of latent mothering instinct showing itself, I plan to adopt, as that way at least I'll be mostly easing someone else's suffering.
|
|
em
Full Member
Posts: 176
|
Post by em on Aug 30, 2010 14:00:39 GMT -5
I hear that, bostonbabe.
I pretty much feel the same way ... except I love babies. Just in small doses. They're so adorable when they smile or laugh at you, and they're just so cute with how sweet and innocent they are. And they're so tiny. But then they start to cry or they have a poopy diaper then I just want to give them back to their parents ASAP. Some people just aren't cut out to be parents. I don't want kids. The idea of having someone being so dependent on me, of having to provide everything for something so needy (seriously, do babies ever have ten minutes where they don't need something?) is horrifying to me. Maybe I'm just a selfish bitch, but I am very independent and probably a bit of a loner. I don't want that. I don't mind helping or doing stuff for people, just I have my limits about what I can handle in that department and they are set way, way below what any kid would require. Since I know this, why the hell would I subject any child to having to grow up in that situation? Kids aren't dumb, they know what's going on once they get old enough to see it. I would hate to inflict that kind of psychological damage caused by knowing your mother didn't want you and doesn't love you quite the way people expect a mother will love you on my kid. And pregnancy is completely frightening and gross to me. The though of something living and growing inside me grosses me out more than I can say. Plus, being only about 4'11" and 95 pounds on my heaviest days and having 10 pound babies run very heavily (heh no pun intended) on both sides of the family ... well yeah I'm terrified to death of having to give birth. People kept telling me I'd change my mind when I got older. But now that I'm at the age where even all of my little sister's friends are moms (some with multiple kids at the age of 23, 24) now I'm pretty sure I won't. But if I do, well I'd prefer to adopt as well.
I have my nephew. That's more than enough kid for me. Lol. I love being an aunt. It's all the fun of having a kid, but with 90% less responsibility. It's good enough for me.
|
|