Posted on 07/22/2006 6:03:00 PM PDT by NYer
Although your comment was intended to insult me, you happened to touch on one of the several reasons that I chose to not have children: my family's genetic heritage. There are some cases of mental retardation, but most importantly, the medical problems, especially on the male side, stand out.
I can find no instance of any male relative who lived beyond age 70; they all died of stroke or heart attacks. Many suffered from diabetes, too.
I have already had a heart attack and triple by-pass surgery. I am now 65 1/2. What do you think my longevity prospects look like?
No, I wouldn't want to pass these genes on to any poor unsuspecting soul.
I have stepchildren. They were grown when I married. I fully expect to have a Step-Grandchild. But if I don't, that would be ok too.
So say the women, anyway.
Increased harassment of families with children by social services plays its role too.
its the godless and fatherless generation.
Or cry when you get out of your daughter's car after an excursion.
Childlessness is a kind of vaccuum, and they often make children of pets or friends or some substitute...and tend to anguish or argue over that substitute like couples who argue over their children. They get fussy about housekeeping or lawn care to the point of OCD.
The human being has quite the capacity to frustrate himself, no matter how many freedoms he seems to have.
It appears that no one is shocked to learn that my state (Ohio) collected 2.1 BILLION dollars in child support and alimony in 2004. This figure is from their own website.
...or say, "There's some people gonna hurt me bad unless I give them some money, don't you have anything worth selling in this dump?"
I wouldn't be surprised if the rate of only child families are higher than ever.
When you do genealogical research, it's chilling to compare the sizes of families back 100+ years ago to now.
"Large" families back then meant more than 14 kids.
And you're right, these singles are hopelessly spoiled.
"And you know what? I don't think that I missed a thing."
And when you and your wife die, you genes die with you. The world will never have anyone that came from you.
I was referring to that particular poster.
"Families" without children? Hmmm... I could buy "couples" sans offspring, but it was the child that made the couple a "family".
The headline writer is illiterate.
People had a lot of kids back then because they tended to "add value" to the family enterprise -- whether piece work or farming. Plus, kids tended to do off at a pretty regular rate.
Today, kids don't add very much value and parents tend to have as many as they can afford, which means insure they receive adequate survival skills/tools in the form of an education.
There is nothing wrong with deciding not to have kids but how can you say you haven't missed out on something, if you don't know what it's like? Sometimes , I felt like I missed out on the fun of going off to a university . (I married young and finished school at local colleges). When it came down to making a choice though, I chose not to go to medical school and never regretted it. Sometimes, honestly though, I think I would have finished school first if I had it to do all over again because life was very hard but knowing what I know, there is no way I would not have wanted children. If I hadn't though then I would probably also be saying , "I didn't miss anything" because I wouldn't have known what it was like.
Please can I have your consideration? Some of us are not childless by choice.
No wonder the left is terrified of homeschooling. No indoctrination = few liberals. Guess they better pull out the stops on immigration amnesty, because that is their only shot at being a political force forty years from now.
Thank you for your opinion, but my husband and I are a family.
By the way, if you knew these facts about your genetic make-up, would you still want to pass your genes along?
It's late, so if you respond I won't be able to answer until tomorrow.
If it's any comfort, the couples without kids seem better able to maintain romance and friendly affection than those with It's that habit of putting the spouse as the most important person in one's life--without the competing demands of children, who often try to conquer by dividing.
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