Big Families Besieged

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Big Families Besieged

-- Stauss (music@is.good), January 02, 2001

Answers

Demographics can change so fast. In my family, my grandparents were all in large families. My parents were in 3-3 kid type families. My generation was NPG (negative population growth). So far, the gen-Xers in my family are doing even worse.

Recently, I have become friends with a a multi-generational, extended family that has many young children. I enjoy sharing time with them. Sure, the grass is always greener. Sure, kids are expensive, hard work, stressful and sometimes heartbreaking. But IMO, anyone who misses that experience is missing the central experience of life.

-- (larsguy@yahoo.com), January 03, 2001.


There's a growing Childless by Choice movement amongst Gen X'ers and the last remnants of the Baby Boomers. It was brought to our attention by a couple that we're pretty close to who have absolutely no intentions of having children. They're both a little older than us (in the mid to late 30's) so I don't think it's a passing phase. They simply feel no desire to have children. They seem very happy and have a great deal of disposable income. While I don't share their feelings, I do think it's worth mentioning that not everyone defines reproduction as the central experience of life.

-- Tarzan the Ape Man (tarzan@swingingthroughthejunglewithouta.net), January 03, 2001.

Tarz,

I defined it as the central eperience of life IN MY OPINION. When, I was young, I had no great urge to have children. Now that it is too late, I think I missed much. I know that there are younger adults who don't plan on having a family. I hope they don't end up regretting their choice.

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), January 03, 2001.


Lars-

Settle down, I'm not trying to flame you.

I think I come somewhere in between the "got to pass my genes on" and "even if the kid comes out with a suit and a job I don't want to be a parent" camps. I've always wanted to be a dad, but I figure 6 billion people on the planet are enough. I lost the ability to reproduce when I had testicular cancer (yes, I'm now officially cancer free!) but it hasn't really bothered me any. I've always thought I would adopt and/or be a foster parent. Fortunately, my fiancee feels the same way.

On a slightly different note, I saw a bumpersticker on my way to work today that almost made me drive off the road. It said, "If I wanted to hear the pitter-patter of little feet I'd put shoes on my cat,"

-- Tarzan the Ape Man (tarzan@swingingthroughthejunglewithouta.net), January 03, 2001.


Tarz--

Glad to hear the good news on your cancer. If you guys want to adopt, I hope it is available. I know several people that have adopted foreign--Phillipines, Asia, Russia. In some cases they were newborn. One couple who adopted two Phillipine boys picked them up sight-unseen at ages 3 and 5. Gutsy.

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), January 03, 2001.



Thanks for the thoughts. Since we have no restrictions on age, gender, race, or ability, there shouldn't be a problem. Children who aren't white, who are no longer infants, or who have special needs tend to not get adopted, so if you're willing to open yourself to a different kind of family (and you meet the admittedly stringent criteria for adoptive parents) there's plenty of children available.

-- Tarzan the Ape Man (tarzan@swingingthroughthejunglewithouta.net), January 03, 2001.

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