257d
@yo-its-me saidI do.
I don't recall ever hearing anyone say this!
What is your life about, if it's not the people in it?
Children are people you get the privilege of watching become. You see their personality develop right in front of you.
Before I had children, I saw them only as an unwanted tie. My life was going to be about adventure, as much wealth as I could amass and pleasure. W ...[text shortened]... enting is our generations best kept secret. I wonder if what you are hearing is said to protect you.
My life is all about the people in it, same as everyone.
I’m sure your 3rd point is one aspect of having offspring.
Sorry to read about your regret of your pre-offspring attitude to adventure.
Protect me from what?
257d
@yo-its-me saidHaving the choice of children, or no children, is a privilege - life can be fine either way. Abstaining from children also means from the possibility of having grandchildren - and as in my case, great-grandchildren.
I don't recall ever hearing anyone say this!
What is your life about, if it's not the people in it?
Children are people you get the privilege of watching become. You see their personality develop right in front of you.
Before I had children, I saw them only as an unwanted tie. My life was going to be about adventure, as much wealth as I could amass and pleasure. W ...[text shortened]... enting is our generations best kept secret. I wonder if what you are hearing is said to protect you.
257d
@torunn saidParenting is too important to be left to young people. Young people should be forbidden to make babies (let them have as much sex as they want, with contraceptives).
I would do many things differently but I was too young to know about parenthood. I would have applied rules and authority - Sweden during 60's and 70's was against all kinds of authority, both at home and at school, and we have never quite recovered from that. 🙂
Children need to learn limits. They must be taught to respect rules and authority, but without violence or physical punishment. Otherwise they grow up socio-paths, like Donald Trump.
257d
@moonbus saidChildren need, as you say, rules and consistency which I wasn't clear about. I was an only child, my mother had many siblings. She used to say about my children when they were difficult to handle, 'as long as they don't turn criminal they will be fine'. 🙂 That may seem a low bar, I thought so at the time, but most things turn out well in the long run.
Parenting is too important to be left to young people. Young people should be forbidden to make babies (let them have as much sex as they want, with contraceptives).
Children need to learn limits. They must be taught to respect rules and authority, but without violence or physical punishment. Otherwise they grow up socio-paths, like Donald Trump.
"Give the children love, more love and still more love – and the common sense will come by itself."
Astrid Lindgren - the author of Pippi Longstocking among other beautiful books.
199d
@Pianoman1 saidThere really isn’t any need for you to be so upset by this topic Pianoman.
My thoughts?
What a pusillanimous and cynically selfish post.
Children teach you that you are not the most important thing in your life. They teach altruism and selflessness, because they are the future and they deserve your selfless devotion and commitment. As a teacher and parent I have discovered how much joy children give.
My thoughts? How sad I am for you on your pusillanimous and cynically selfish path…..
My wife and I are living our lives the way we choose and the comments in my OP are my honest observations.
We aren’t impacting anyone else by not having children the way some offspring impact the lives of others, and we are completely content and happy.
Altruism (if there really is such a thing, especially when directed towards your own DNA) can be learned in a host of different ways, as can selflessness.
How on earth is that “selfish” or “pusillanimous” (are you an English teacher 😄) ?
@Great-Big-Stees saidThose who haven't had children just don't know Stees, it is that simple! 🙂
Absolutely. OK…as long as they turned out the way my first couple did.🤔👍😁
-VR
@moonbus said"It takes a village to raise a child"?
Parenting is too important to be left to young people. Young people should be forbidden to make babies (let them have as much sex as they want, with contraceptives).
Children need to learn limits. They must be taught to respect rules and authority, but without violence or physical punishment. Otherwise they grow up socio-paths, like Donald Trump.
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197d
@Pianoman1 saidI think that's very harsh. Kids aren't for everyone and with the world increasingly becoming more and more over populated with many, many issues, it's not a bad thing to not want to have children.
My thoughts?
What a pusillanimous and cynically selfish post.
Children teach you that you are not the most important thing in your life. They teach altruism and selflessness, because they are the future and they deserve your selfless devotion and commitment. As a teacher and parent I have discovered how much joy children give.
My thoughts? How sad I am for you on your pusillanimous and cynically selfish path…..