How do you feel about having and bringing up children? (birth control, choice)

[MidnightBlue]

Check as many as apply; discuss your reasoning.

[Random]

I am heterosexual and celibate, have been for a long time. I don't know what will happen in my future, but having children is unlikely. I am content with this and view it in many unorthodox ways, I guess: I see no imperative to contribute to the overpopulation of the world, and I consider that it would be equally irresponsible to bring a child into the world with a partner without being able to commit fully to his or her upbringing. To put it another way, it would be selfish of me to view children as a commodity I must have in my life: children are not commodities, though to my disgust many people seem to think they are.

I do not wish to have a family and am happy so far with that choice. Because some people regard me as a "weirdo" due to this, I wouldn't ever try to sell the idea to anybody else but it works for me.

[d.]

There are too many people already; contraception and family planning are necessary.

Reproduction should be a choice.

[Mike182]

i clicked three option:

option 1) Children are a financial and emotional strain on their parents - my reasoning for clicking this option? i am both on my parents.

option 2) it's not important to have children - my reasoning for clicking this option? for me, it simply isn't important.

option 3) reporduction should be a choice - i don't think i need to make that any clearer

[Jaymes]

Since I don't have sex that can result in me accidentally getting pregnant, having kids isn't something I worry about or think about much. I'm really not too good with kids if they start to cry; it grates my nerves.

I'd be open to adopting a potty-trained kid. Maybe. In the distant future. If my partner really wanted a kid.

I do feel a little bad about being unable to give my grandparents a grandkid. Especially since they'll probably be dead before my siblings have any.

[Buttercup]

I almost picked this choice because the love a parent feels for a child is the closest to unconditional love that I've ever known.

ONLY by having children can we really experience unconditional love.

However....I don't like absolutes and therefore have to leave open the notion that unconditional love can manifest itself in other ways. Yet, I would surely die if I had to for any one of my kids.

Reproduction should be a choice yet the planet needs to practice birth control to stave of further overpopulation. I know my life would not be nearly as fulfillling if I didn't have my kids....they help make my life very happy.

[dawny0826]

Warning: Novel

I selected:

- Children are a blessing from God. -

My children are so very precious to me and were precious to me while in the womb. I was amazed at the positive sign on the pregnancy tests. I was awed during the first and subsequent ultrasounds. I was taken by the first sounds of their precious heartbeats. Birthing my babies, nearly losing my life during my first delivery...holding my daughters for the first time...looking down into precious little faces that look somewhat like me...somewhat like Craig and thinking...WOW! You grew inside of me for nine months. Pregnancy within itself is such a roller coaster of emotion and physical ailments, some amazing, some difficult to endure. It's all just so amazing. I was awed with each pregnancy. I still am in awe.

Then there's my husband, who was adopted and my cousin who has desparately tried for years to have a child and is now, finally in the latter stages of an adoption...

I've seen how God has blessed the lives of those who weren't meant to birth children but were meant to parent children.


Over the last five years, I've watched Emily grow into the awesome five year old she is. And my baby, Roo is going to be two very soon. It's amazing! They're amazing! And when I look at them, I'm reminded of how AMAZING God is. I've known too many people who have struggled to experience the joys of motherhood and I know that I've been very fortunate and blessed to have been able to bring two healthy little ones into this world naturally.


I was one of those who walked on eggshells throughout my first trimesters of pregnancy because I wanted my babies so much and was so afraid that I'd miscarry. I quit smoking...wouldn't touch an alcoholic drink...

Really, I couldn't relax at all until I saw that heart beat on the ultrasound screen. And my nerves didn't really subside until I held those little ones in my arms. They're complete blessings. The miracle of life is a blessing.


And to think...the real adventure begins when you start to raise them... I LOVE my children and I thank God with all my heart for allowing me the precious opportunity to be their Mom.


- It's not important to have children.

It's important in the respect that reproduction is important for any species but an individual must decide for themselves whether they should parent a child. For some...having children isn't on their list of priorities. To each his/her own.


- Reproduction should be a choice

Reproduction is something that should be decided BEFORE sex, in my opinion. Speaking for myself, I've never had sex before without thinking about a possible pregnancy occuring. I decided before sex whether I was ready to handle a pregnancy.

- If you don't want to have children, you shouldn't have sex.

On some days, I honestly want to scream this from the rooftops but ultimately I just think that people should act responsibly when having sex, not only for the sake of avoiding unwanted pregnancies but also to avoid contracting an STD.

Whether one feels that the purpose of sex is primarily for reproductive purposes or not...reproduction is often the natural result of unprotected sex and with all of the precautionary measures available to both male and females to PREVENT unwanted pregnancies...I'm still baffled by abortion statistics. If you don't want children and want to have sex...use contraception. That's how I feel.


End of novel.