I'm just going to give the psychological view that people's desire to have children comes from the desire to leave a legacy. One of the most basic driving desires beneath every person's action in life is to leave a lasting mark on the world, so that they can in a sense live forever. By having children, they can leave a piece of themselves that is self-replicating.

Personally, I hate kids, but I suspect that will change once I get older.

latenightapplepie:

the_tramp:
who I can train up

That just made me think of those pokemon games, you know, in which you 'train up' your pokemon.

"Wait, BABY is evolving...

BABY has evolved into TODDLER!"

TODDLER has learned WALK!
But TODDLER already knows four moves. Which one would you like to forget?

EAT SLEEP
CRY POOP

Seems like a significant number of those have posted have cited their (young) age as a reason to not have any current desire to have children. To the older folk therefore I think I ought pose this question: did you have this view when you were younger? How and when exactly does this supposed change of mind occur? Is being in a relationship with someone a necessary condition for this change to occur? Or are there many single people out their busting to have children?

the_tramp:

Sir_Montague:

Thank you for being the same age as me, having the same thoughts as me, and whether knowingly or not, referencing Pure pwnage in your response to this topic... pwnerer hahaha

Yes I was referencing, I threw it in to see if anyone would bite.

Thanks for making me feel a little less alone on this site being a PP fan...

I have one nipper of my own and work as a nusery teacher. I love kids.
But having kids, and indeed working with kids, means you are willing to be responsible for them.
I'm lucky, given my history, that I haven't become a dad many times over.
Being a dad is as simple as not wearing a condom, being a Father means taking responsibilty and raising your children to be respectful and considerate of their environment and their peers.

for the Moment, if i want to hear the pitter patter of little feet, il get a dog, its cheaper and you get more feet

There are about 6,800,000,000 people on earth. That means the whole damn thing is grossly overpopulated. Saying it's fine for now because the crowding we can see now is only in third world countries is crazy. Sooner or later immigration will soar. Why? Because third world living conditions no longer can carry its population due to rampant disease and famine.

You find forced population control sick? I see it as critical -now-.
People shouldn't be allowed to get kids just because they want them or, as is more often the case, by accident. Screwing like rabbits was once the solution to many problems, but we are in the modern age now. We don't need strength in numbers anymore.

Fewer new people to spew funding into means more funding to spend on actually improving the lives of the ones who are currently here, homeland AND abroad. Let's cut down on the misery before dragging more people into it.

Make room, make room.

They aren't little bundles of joy, they're fresh clay to be molded as their parents please.

Screw kids. I'm 18 and don't plan on having any little bastards running around for at least another 10 years.

Well, seeing my current totally dysfunctional family relationships with everyone involved I'd say I have a pretty realistic idea of how bad it could get...

No, I'd never have children.

children make me laugh...at them.

I enjoy my friend's/relative's kids.

But my eyes bleed from so many people hating children.

little girls scare me, but i am still planing on having kids

well...as Canada currently has a Neutral->Negative population growth....and most of the population is soon going to be relying on pensions leaving the younger folks (who are much less in number) to run the country and pay for that very pension.

Anyway, here kids would be good, they have enough in China/India.

HSIAMetalKing:
I've always sort of envisioned myself adopting a child at some point in my life (after I finish college and have a decent job). Preferably a smart Asian kid.

He could do your taxes... yes I went there.

latenightapplepie:
Thanks for the post crimson, not only because it was refreshing to see some more parents' perspectives but also because it reminded me to raise the question of the expectations and hopes that can sometimes be associated with having children. My questions (to everyone, not just you crimson) are therefore: should parents have certain expectations and hopes for their children? At what point does being ambitious for our children's future become unacceptable? Is there a point? Do the parents who live through their children put you off having them? Or does the chance to have a second shot at life through your children actually entice you?

Speaking for myself:

Should parents have certain expectations and hopes for their children? Of course. I expect my children to grow up to be productive contributors to the world. I hope they will become much more successful and intelligent than I ever will be in my life. I think those are perfectly sane and reasonable expectations (note they are not demands).

Ambition should come from them, not from me. No matter how much ambition I have for my children, if they lack this drive as individuals there isn't much I can do about it. I can encourage them to be ambitious but they are the ones that ultimately need to embrace that drive.

I think the worst mistake parents can make is to enforce their own beliefs onto their children. My father always wanted me to become a diplomat, so tried his best to steer me in the right direction. I always hated law (because I don't believe there is true justice in this world and law is unfair but that's another story) and never fulfilled my father's dream. Why should I? I always wanted to become a designer, and that is a profession I've been practicing since I'm 16 (my father should have seen the signs and realized that my calling was elsewhere).

My father didn't want to live through me - he was a diplomat himself - but my children's lives are theirs to own, not for me to dictate. I encourage and support my children to follow their own path.

For instance, my older son would be interested in seeing me cook, so I bought him a kitchen play set. He liked playing around with his toy piano, so I bought him a Yamaha MIDI keyboard and hired a tutor. He wanted to learn skateboarding, so I sprung for the outfit, inline skates and took him to class every Saturday. I'll continue supporting him until he finds his calling, and continue to support him even more. Too many times I see children being forced to learn languages, instruments or other extracurricular activities that they simply are not interested in. Is that child ever going to be a violin virtuoso if he hates playing it?

I love tennis and motor racing myself, and would love to see my son become the next Roger Federer or Ayrton Senna, but that doesn't mean I will enforce this onto him because nothing is worse than being stuck doing something you don't enjoy for the rest of your life - besides, if you don't enjoy it, chances are you won't excel at it.

If my son wants to become an agriculturist or an accountant, that's his choice, but he will have a much better chance of being successful if he enjoys what he is doing.

The only things that would gut me as a father is if my son chooses to become a priest, a policeman or take up the military as a career. That for me would be tantamount to my failure as a father - but they still have this right if they choose so.

I do plan on having kids at some point in time, but no time soon. I'm 19 for gods sake, I don't need to be spewing forth little copies of myself yet. I don't plan on getting married until I am around 25, but thats negotiable if I find the right woman. I am one of those softies who would love to have a little girl, I even have names I like already, is that wierd? Anyway, right now I am in no position to support myself, let alone a family, so I am not planning on it anytime soon. Once I finish getting my degree this spring, and find a decent job, maybe.

I plan on only having one son.

I have five, I never lack entertainment. I also know more about Pokemon and Sponge Bob than any grown man should.

They're ok roasted with pine nuts apples and honey! outside of that we could always send them down the mines!

well, im a mean lazy depressed person who hates bad smells stupid and pain and the GOOD side of my family has a family motto that would be far better suited to just about any half decent villian(no, dont ask). i also have an absolutely horrific family history of diseases (cancer and the like).i really REALLY shouldnt have kids, but i know that SOMEHOW its going to end up happening, and that the circumstances will involve a clone of me or something just as insane.