Do you want kids?

[Gatekeeper]

**shrug** What can I say? I have a (growing) soft spot for tiny, helpless babies. Now, if only there was a way to skip two things:

1. The terrible twos.
2. The terrible teens.

Gateekeeper

[Nugog]

**shrug** What can I say? I have a (growing) soft spot for tiny, helpless babies. Now, if only there was a way to skip two things:

1. The terrible twos.
2. The terrible teens.

Gateekeeper

1) Depends on the kids - my eldest was fine. My youngest - - that was horrible.

2) Ain't there yet...............

[Alinestra Covelia]

I don't want kids. I'm pretty much a hedonist by nature and I don't think I really have the capacity to care enough about another person as much as I care about myself.

Also, I do not want to be tied to an 18-year fiscal, legal, and emotional responsibility. In fact, based on the example I'm setting, that's even more likely to be a 28-year responsibility. I feel sorry for my parents, who evidently let themselves into far more than they expected when they had me.

If it were possible to "test drive" kids, I might consider it - but at this point in time I believe you're really not able to give them back if it turns out you don't like them.

I went hang gliding in October, and it was a little scary at first but I had what alcoholics refer to as a moment of clarity: I realized about half a mile up that it didn't matter. If I died, there was nobody who depended on me and I had no obligations to anybody. My social circles would heal pretty quickly. That was an immensely liberating realization and I'm not about to give up that freedom just for some forgotten future generation.

[Alinestra Covelia]

BK puzzled with his poor judgement of the doomed.

I have two boys, aged 6 and 2 1/2, which is enough for the moment. OTOH, I'm only 29, and I can imagine that a third child may sound like a good idea by 2015 or something. Or maybe not, depends, we'll see.

Your avatar, Grendel eating a Hrothgar guest, made me smile. Grendel's mom really loved him and had his back and everything.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Do I want kids? Hell yes, but I'm thwarted every time. Stupid Megan's Law...



Okay, on a more serious note:

I have a kid -- a really, really great kid. She's smart, she's funny, she's cute (she has her mother's genes) and most importantly she's enormously kind, quite possibly the kindest soul I've ever known (how that happened in our household is an excellent question ).

Sometimes I look back and wish I'd had more. Other times, I look at all we've been able to give her on our relatively meager incomes -- including her current education at Elite Eastern College -- and I think stopping with what we could actually afford was wise and prudent.

Good question, though. Dis, if this is what you really want, I hope you find a way to have it.

[Lorizael]

For a whole host of reasons - no, never, no way.

[rah]

One and done.

[Arrian]

Not sure, leaning yes.

-Arrian

[PLATO]

Was 29 when Bobby came along. The first 17 years for him being here have been awesome.

He goes to university next year and it is a bag of mixed emotions.

To have kids or not? Live a little first...30ish or 30's is a good time. They are well worth it however.

[David Floyd]

I don't want kids. I'm pretty much a hedonist by nature and I don't think I really have the capacity to care enough about another person as much as I care about myself.

Also, I do not want to be tied to an 18-year fiscal, legal, and emotional responsibility. In fact, based on the example I'm setting, that's even more likely to be a 28-year responsibility. I feel sorry for my parents, who evidently let themselves into far more than they expected when they had me.

If it were possible to "test drive" kids, I might consider it - but at this point in time I believe you're really not able to give them back if it turns out you don't like them.

I went hang gliding in October, and it was a little scary at first but I had what alcoholics refer to as a moment of clarity: I realized about half a mile up that it didn't matter. If I died, there was nobody who depended on me and I had no obligations to anybody. My social circles would heal pretty quickly. That was an immensely liberating realization and I'm not about to give up that freedom just for some forgotten future generation

Word.

[Arrian]

I liked that post too.

-Arrian

[Japher]

There is never a good time to have kids. - a very profound statement that can be taken many ways.

Josie came a little early in my life, but she is a blessing and I wouldn't have delayed her for the world. When she came my purpose of life got a whole new, bigger meaning. She is the reason we moved, let the wife stay home, and for me to pursue my MBA. If she had not come when she did I would probably still be putting away at where I was.

Jace, well, we had him while I was laid off. Conceived him while I was secure in my job. Still, he makes me smile every day when I get home.

When I am on the treadmill in the morning, when I stop short on my drinking, when i feel like ditching class, I think of Jace and Josie. When it's 6am and I don't want to get up, I think of them. My goals and outlook in life are definitly different from where they were a short 3-4 years ago. However, they are more defined, bigger than I would have thought, and I am a better man for having committed to them.

Do I want more? Well, I need to meet a few more goals before that question can even be asked. If I'm 40 by then I may not, but if I'm 38? There's never a good time to have kids.

[Caligastia]

Great post Japher.

I have 2 boys, 3.5 and 11 months old. To me, having kids is the ultimate human experience. It really motivates me to be the best I can be - so I can provide, and also be a good example. It's the most fulfilling thing imaginable, and only fellow parents can really understand what I mean by that. To those who refuse to have kids for selfish reasons I can only say that you are seriously missing out.

Having said that, things will have to change on the economic front if my wife and I are to have more...two might be it for us.

[MrFun]

No, I don't.

[Q Classic]

I've considered academically having at most two offspring to raise. While I think it'd be an interesting challenge and something I might want to try, I often end up being unable to justify it even in theory, largely on account of the world being filled with ****heads, with far too many ills plaguing the world.

I cannot justify subjecting someone I (theoretically) cherish to that kind of horror.

I will admit that I don't quite have all data points in, and there is currently a profoundly negative bias towards human existence, thanks to a small fraction of humans I encounter (a few bad apples do spoil the bunch), so unless that changes, the answer I have now will remain in place.

"I'd like to, but I cannot justify it on the grounds of humanity."